CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY Gift of Samuel B. Bird '21 Cornell University Library ML 65.G25 Anecdotes of areat musici^^^^^^^ 3 1924 022 232 379 Cornell University Library The original of tliis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924022232379 ANECDOTES GREAT MUSICIANS. THREE HUNDRED ANECDOTES AND BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF FAMOUS COMPOSERS AND PERFORMERS. 'o\ BY W. FRANCIS GATES, \ns - A "-^ AUTHOR OF "mUSICAl. ittOSAICS," "PIPE AND STRINGS," ETC. ^P PHILADELPHIA : THEODORE PRESSEJR, 1708 CHESTNUT STREET. rRnc. Copyright, 1895, by Theodore Presser. TO M. W. G. " With facile grace Art touches every soul." INTRODUCTORY. In the search for what this volume comprises, much material has been examined. Had the intention been to make it include all the anecdotes that are related of various musicians, three times the present space would have been necessary. But many of the narratives of past and current literature will not stand the test of probability, and in some cases the humor or reason for relation is hard to find. I have attempted to cull from the mass of material that came to my notice such anecdotes as have two features, — that of being characteristic of the person referred to, and that of possessing sufficient interest; and in this re-narration I have incorporated such bits of musical information, along biographical and historical lines, as came to mind at the time of writing, but letting this feature be secondary to the main idea of the work. Thus it is hoped that while my readers may find inter- esting anecdote, they may also incidentally find that which is of more permanent value. This work maybe regarded as a companion volume to my " Musical Mosaics," supplementing the thoughts of the great musicians there expressed with incidents giving somewhat of a clue to their personality. It would be in vain for me to attempt to acknowledge V VI INTRODUCTORY. all the sources from which these anecdotes have been gleaned, owing to the extent of the field covered. The majority of the matter appears in this volume for the first time in its present form, although in a few cases there are partial quotations. No classification has been made in the body of the work, thus avoiding monotony in a consecutive reading. The indexes furnish ample references. If these narrations awaken a more general interest in musical biography, one purpose of my labor will have been accomplished. W. FRANCIS GATES. Zatiesville, Ohio, Dec, lo, 18^4. CONTENTS NO. PAGE 88. A Basso's Wit, 86 254. A Bold Pupil, » 249 40 A Boy's Memory 43 211. A Burial Place Denied, 207 291. A Charitable Trio 290 229. A Comical Revenge, 226 30. A Concert Preacher, 35 232. A Compliment from Haydn, 228 96. A Composer's Chagrin, 92 206. A Costly Fiddle, 204 19. A Critical Composition, 26 190. A Deserved Chastisement 187 144. A Double Dose of Brahms, 145 265. A Dressing-room War, 260 63. A Fiddler's Trick 64 98. A Frightened Desdemona, 95 224. A Great German Songstress, 220 183. A Great Thief, 180 153. A Gentle Critic 154 227. A Gory Drumstick 223 135. A Great Quartet 135 75. A Hatful of Pearls, 74 186. A Kind Act, 185 249. A Little Trick of Paganini's, 245 197. A Long Encore Number, 195 37. A Musical Priest 41 217. A Musical Tragedy 213 193. A Narrow Escape, 190 233. A Particular Prima Donna 229 114. A Patient Pupil iii 72. A Patti Reception that She Didn't Receive 72 105. A Peculiar Genius, loi 288. A Peculiar Visiting Card, 285 260. A Prima Donna's Pets, 255 50. A Queen's Regard for her Music Teacher 53 92. A Second Napoleon, 89 146. A Sharp Rejoinder, 147 vii Vlll CONTENTS. NO. PAGE 93. A Singer's Sense 90 225. A Sight for the Boys 222 61. A Song for Forty 62 13. A Sudden Cure 21 10. A Test of Precocity, 18 194. A Pyrotechnic Violoncello 191 142. A Violin for Eighteen Pence, 143 52. A Witty Songstress, 55 117. Absent Minded, 115 159. An Absent-minded Conductor, 159 36. An Army, a Cow, and a Prima Donna, 40 51. An Earnest Student, 54 78. An Episode in the Life of an Artist, 76 257. An Erratic Prima Donna, 252 178. An Even Distribution of Honors, 176 no. An Eventful Career 106 215. An Exciting Musical Duel, 211 58. An Ignorant Tenor, 59 157. An Interrupted Concert, 157 216. An Interrupted Strain 213 172. An Interrupted Opera, 170 222. An Obese Basso, 219 256. An Opera Sacrificed, 251 25. An Uncringing Reply 31 46. An Unorthodox Creed 48 22. An Untalented Royal Pupil 28 69. Another Way 69 42. Artistic Aversion to Empty Honors 45 266. Aristocratic Patronage — Haydn's Farewell, 261 243. Arrested for Treason, 238 154. Art Before Business, 155 280. Artistic Pride 276 207. Bach's Qfeat Works. How Enjoyed by Some, 204 6. Balfe's Strange Room Mate 14 44. Baton Waving. — LuUy Losing a Limb 46 202. Beethoven a la Cupid, 199 271. Beethoven, Brain-owner 267 150. Beethoven's First Triumph 151 292. Beethoven's Forgetfulness, 291 281. Beethoven's Friends, 276 218. Beethoven's Gratitude, 215 34. Beethoven's Kiss, 30 173. Beethoven Punished, 171 7. Berlioz and Paganini, i c 156. Billow's Bits, 156 231. But One Seat Left, 228 CONTENTS. IX NO. PAGE 235. Campanini as a Soldier, 231 28. Catalani and Goethe, 33 138. Cherubini as- a Revolutionary Fiddler, 139 219. Choleric Handel, 216 125. Chopin's Technic, . . 125 loi. dementi's Economy 98 113. Clerical Wit, no 139. Conscientious Acting and Singing, 140 158. Cooperative Composition, 158 160. Costly Admiration, 159 297. Cuzzoni — Bordoni, 295 251. Delayed Appreciation, 247 5. Discovering a Nightingale, 13 85. Disposing of an Audience, 84 79. Earning a Violin Easily, 78 198. " Englyshe Meetre," 195 264. Fallible, 259 115. Field Fooled, 113 49. Forewarned is Forearmed, 51 277. Fortunes in Fiddles 272 167. French Wit, . .^ 165 180. Friends, . . . T 178 131. From Humble Origin to Wealth and Fame 131 276. Fugues and Chess 272 188. Fun on the Stage, 186 132. Gallant Haydn 133 247. Genius Discovered by Punishment, 243 4. Glimpses of Cherubini, 12 296. Gluck — Piccinni, 294 262. Goat Hair for Hero Worshipers, 257 24. Good English in Song, 29 176. Gounod's Faust, 173 228. Great Musical Memories, 224 295. Handel — Buononcini 293 151. Handel's Duel, 152 74. Handel's Escape, 74 23. Handel's Persuasiveness, 29 87. Handel's Successful Scheme, 85 141. Handel's Youth 142 94. Haydn's Noble English Pupil, 91 286. Haydn's Last Appearance, 283 181. Haydn's Reception by Prince Esterhazy, 178 X CONTENTS. NO. PAGE i8. He Didn't Purchase, 25 39. High Art 43 8. History Repeats Itself, 16 274. Honest Opinions, 269 82. How Beriioz Fooled the Critics, . . '. 80 122. How Paganini Secured his Favorite Fiddle, 121 68. How to Make a Singer Sing, 68 60. How to Secure a Successful D6but, 61 285. Humor in Composition, 280 191. II Trovatore, 188 169. Imagination a Factor in Hearing Music, 167 200. Impositions on Musicians, 197 128. In Billow's Class-Room, '. . . . 128 II. Irish Enthusiasm 19 54. Jealousy in the Family, 56 270. Jenny Lind's Generosity, 266 104. Keeping at It, loi 20. Keep in with the Accompanist, 27 95. Lablache and Tom Thumb, 92 67. Leoncavallo's Whimsical Opinion of his "Clowns," . . 67 149. Lind's First Engagement, 1 50 242. Liszt as an Advertiser, 238 250. Liszt's Conipletion of the Beethoven Monument 246 123. Liszt on Mendelssohn, 122 130. Liszt's Playing and his Generosity, 130 103. Liszt's Precocity 99 269. Liszt's Reply to Louis Philippe 265 299. Liszt — Thalberg, 298 134. Lives of Labor, 134 241. Longevity of Musicians, 235 71. Manuscript for Kettles, 71 81. Malibran's Generosity, 79 124. Mara's Revenge, 124 76. Mendelssohn Composing for Fun, 75 35. Mendelssohn's Dislike of Meyerbeer 39 234. Mendelssohn's Kindness, 230 143. Mendelssohn at Work 144 195. Misdirected and Repressed Talent 192 109. Modulations 105 53. Moscheles' Blunder 55 65. Mozart's Acknowledgment 66 170. Musical and Non-Musical Accent, 168 CONTENTS. XI NO. PAGE 38. Musical Criticism, 42 279. Musical Cooks, 275 56. Musical Gratitude, 57 283. Music for the Eye 279 83. Music Hath Charms, 81 43. Music and Madness, 46 102. Music at So Much per Note, 99 192. Music vs. Commerce 189 220. Music vs. Conversation 217 III. Napoleon Outwitted by a Songtress, 108 253. Nasal, 249 108. Nilsson and the Shah of Persia, 103 213. Not at First Sight, 210 239. Not the Geese that Saved Rome, 234 17. Ole Bull as a Duelist, 25 14. Ole Bullat "Rouge-et-Noir," 22 89. Old Words to New Tunes, 87 278. One Kind of Criticism 274 66. Operatic Sore Throat, 66 209. Original Tapestry, 206 289. Origin of the Name " Kreutzer Sonata," 286 273. Our Musical Advancement 268 15. Outspoken Admiration, . ■ 23 252. Overfed Composers, 248 152. Paganini's Generous Deed, 153 226. Paganini in Court Dress, 222 261. Paganini's Method of Study, 256 177. Patti's Exactions, 174 100. Patti's Vanity, 97 208. Peculiar English, 205 64. Personal Appearance, 64 12. Playing like " Zwei Gotts," 31 86. Playing on a Shoe, 85 175. Pot-boilers, 172 55. Prejudice, 56 223. Preserving Identity, 220 45. Prima Donnas Come High, 48 282. Prolific Composers, 278 182. Proving Identity, 179 187. Public Criticism, 185 179. Rapid Composition 176 27. Rather a Hard Opponent to Conquer 33 136. Rec'd in Full of Ape, 137 Xll CONTENTS. NO. PAGE 214. Restoring an Organ, zio 99. Retentive Memories 96 248. Richard Wagner and the Number " 13," 244 163. Royal Honors to a Singer, 162 290. Royal Musicians, 286 133. Rossini and the Italian School, 133 293. Rossini's Arrogance, 291 70. Rossini Hearing the Impossible, 70 244. Rothschild's Music, 240 259. Sarcasm, 254 no. Saving a Fiddle, 114 230. Scherzo, 227 162. Schubert's " Erl-King," 161 272. Schubert's Modesty, 268 80. Schubert's Serenade, '-78 246. Schumann's Failure 242 284. Schumann's Madness, 279 127. Securing Music under Difficulties, 127 106. Shaking all Over, 102 41. Slippers at a Premium, 44 121. Some Liberal Musicians, 120 298. Sontag — Malibran, 297 91. Sontag's Revenge, 88 26. Southern Passion 32 126. Spohr as a Horn Player, 126 263. Stage Censorship 258 112. Stubborn Composers, 109 240. That Patti Kiss, 235 2. The Bach Revival, 10 90. The Composer's Debt to Nature, 88 164. The Deaf Beethoven, 163 155. The " Dear Saxon," 155 196. The Discovery of a Tenor, 193 199. "The Devil on Two Sticks," 197 47. The Devil's Trill 49 73. The Encore Fiend, 73 300. The Financial Circumstances of the Great Composers, . 300 , 97. The Friends, Mozart and Haydn, 93 57. The Greater the Composer the Greater the Student, ... 58 9. The Greatest Musical Prodigy, 17 I . The Gregorian Chant, 9 201. The Hallelujah Chorus, 199 119. The " Harmonious Blacksmith," 117 267. The Hebrew in Music, 263 287. The Heroic in Music, 283 CONTENTS. XUl NO. PAGE 165. The History of a Violin 163 210. The Manual Labor of Composition, 207 275. The Modern Tendency, 271 29. The Music but Not the Face, 35 107. The "Ox" Minuet, 103 140. The Peculiarities of Genius, 141 118. The Prima Donna of the Eighteenth Century 116 245. The " Prison Josephs," 241 77. The Right Kind of a Patron, 76 268. The Story of Mozart's Requiem, 264 62. The Temple Organ 63 189. The Thirty-three Variations 187 120. The Ups and Downs of a Singer's Life, 118 221. The World's Reward to Genius, 217 21. The Youthful Beethoven's Trick on a Singer 27 185. Their Favorite Surroundings for Composition 182 59. Three Classes of Players, 60 294. To a Pauper's Grave, 292 236. To Make a Player Play, 231 168. Too Literal 166 31. Traveling in State, 36 237. True KindUness, 232 32. Tuning Up 37 147. Two Kinds of Bills, 147 145. Unfailing Sight Reading an Impossibility, 14S 48. Unlucky Manuscripts, 50 174. Violin Collectors 172 238. Viotti's Independence, 233 129. Viotti's Tin Fiddle, 129 33. Voice Against Trumpet, 38 148. Von Bulow as a Political Speaker, 149 184. Von Billow's Memory 182 212. Von Billow's Peculiarities 209 171. Von Weber to a Bawling Choir, 169 166. " Vorts " vs. Music 164 204. Vox Populi, 201 255. Wagner's Activity , 250 203. Wagner and the Beggars, 200 84. Wagner's Melodies and Chords, 83 137. Wagner's Working Costume, 137 205. What's in a Name, 202 258. When They Began, 253 16. Whims of Composers, 24 3. Why We Should Sing 11 161. Wine and Music, 160 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. l.-THE GREGORIAN CHANT. There have been musical antagonisms in all ages of the world. Church and State have joined in them as well as individuals. But not all of them had as judicious an arbiter as had the dispute between the French and Roman singers on the occasion of a visit of Charlemagne to Rome to celebrate Holy Week, about the year 803, A.D. This most Catholic magnate had taken with him his choir ; and the Gallic singers soon started a contro- versy with the choristers of the Roman Church, claim- ing to sing better and more agreeably than the Italians. But the Roman choristers- knew that their style of music was in direct descent from St. Gregory, and ac- cused the Gauls of corrupting and disfiguring the true ecclesiastical style. Finally this dispute between the singers of the good King Charles and those of Pope Adrian waxed so warm that the King thought it time to take a hand and end the hostilities. He called his singers before him and asked them whether they thought the water of a foun- tain would be purest at its source, or after it had run a good distance and been mixed with other streams. Of course, they answered that the nearer to the source the purer the water. The King then exclaimed, " Mount ye then up to the pure fountain of St. Gregory, whose chant ye have manifestly corrupted." 9 lO ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. On his return to France, Charlemagne took with him, at his request and by the appointment of Pope Adrian, two singers learned in the true ecclesiastical mode. He stationed one at Metz and the other at Soissons. The Pope also sent choral books which had been written by- Gregory, so that these teachers, who had themselves studied under him, could correct the French books. The King ordered all singing masters in the kingdom to be taught by these Roman monks and to conform their books and teaching to the Gregorian antiphonal. 2.— THE BACH REVIVAL. One of Mendelssohn's ardent friends in his youthful days was Edward Devrient, a thorough musician and an excellent singer. These friends used to delve into the music of " Old Bach " and revel in the learning displayed there. One day they resolved to take up the old can- tor's " Passion Music," which had not been heard for a hundred years and which was, even to such good musicians as they, known by name only. They became enchanted with the beauties of this lofty masterpiece, and Devrient enthusiastically declared it ought to be given in public. Mendelssohn at first ridi- culed the suggestion, saying the public would not give it a cordial reception and that it was sure to be a failure. But after talking it over, Mendelssohn became as enthu- siastic on the subject as was his friend. So the two young fellows — for Mendelssohn was then only eighteen — went to see Zelter, Mendelssohn's teacher, the most influential musician in Berlin. After considerable argument, they convinced Zelter of the feasibility of their plan, and, securing his promise of co-operation, went home to begin the arduous labors that such a performance entails on manager and conduc- tor. They had to secure the soloists, the double chorus and the double orchestra demanded by the score. Dev- WHY WE SHOULD SING. II rient himself sang the part allotted to " Christ," and Mendelssohn conducted. It is needless to say that the performance (given in 1829) was a success.' A repetition was demanded ; and not Berlin alone, but the whole musical world began to realize that in Sebastian Bach's great works there was a mine of wealth that would be unexhausted for ages. And it was to these young men, Mendelssohn especially, that we owe our knowledge and appreciation of the Leipzig cantor's masterwork of sacred music. But Mendelssohn did not stop with this. Through his efforts there was erected a fine monument to Bach's memory, which perpetuates the face and figure of this fountain head of modern music. It was erected in 1842, in front of the " Thomas Schule " in which Bach taught, and facing the windows of his study. 3.— WHY WE SHOULD SING. It is generally admitted that there is a beneficial phy- siological side to the matter of singing as well as that of entertainment and musical pleasure. Long and learned articles on this subject come from erudite pens ; but we venture that it would be hard to find anything more unique in this line than the " Reasons briefely set downe by th' auctor, to perswade euery one to learne to sing," given in William Byrd's " Psalmes, Sonets, and songs of Sadnes and Pietie," published in England in 1588. These reasons that are " briefely set downe " are as follows : — First, It is a knowledge easily taught, and quickly learned, when there is a good Master and an apt Scoller. 2. The exercise of singing is delightfull to nature, and good to preserue the health of Man. 3. It doth strengthen all parts of the brest, and doth open the pipes. 4. It is a singuler good remedie for a stutting and stamering in the speech. 12 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. 5. It is the best means to procure a perfect pronuncia- tion, and to make a good Orator. 6. It is the only way to know when Nature hath be- stowed the benefit of a good Voyce which guift is so rare, as there is not one among a thousand, that hath it ; and in many, that excellent guift is lost, because they want Art to expresse Nature. 7. There is not any Musicke of Instruments whatso- euer, comparable to that which is made of the Voyces of Men, where the voyces are good, and the same well sorted and ordered. 8. The better the voyce is, the meeter it is to honor and serue God therewith ; and the voyce of man is chiefly to be employed to that ende. Since singing is so good a thing I wish all men would learne to singe. 4.— GLIMPSES OF CHERUBINI. Cherubini was a gruff old fellow, but occasionally a bit of kindness or humor came to the surface, and then he showed the better side of his nature. He was one day met, at the Paris Conservatoire, of which he was the head, by a father who .came bringing his talented son to gain admission to the institution. Cherubini exclaimed, when the man had told his errand, " What do you want? I do not take infants to nurse ! " The father was about to give up his attempt, but was told to take the boy to a certain room and have him play whatever he could think of, and not to stop when Cher- ubini came into the room. Soon the Director came in. Hearing the boy play, he was astonished at the talent and youth of the performer, and proceeded to question him on the principles of m usic. The result was that he at once admitted the boy to the Conservatoire. Cherubini afterward, in telling others about the affair, said, " I had to be very careful about pushing the questions too far ; for DISCOVERING A NIGHTINGALE. 1 3 the baby was beginning to prove to me that he knew more about music than I do myself." When Berlioz was a student in the Conservatoire, he was generally at sword's points with the crusty director. Once, on examination day, Cherubini was running over a piece which Berlioz had submitted, when he came upon a complete rest of two measures. "What is that?" he asked, in his usual ill-natured tone. " Mr. Director," said the pupil, " I wish to produce an effect which I thought could best be produced by silence." " Ah, you thought it would produce a good effect upon the audience if you suppressed two measures?" "Yes, sir." "Very good. Suppress the rest; the effect will be better still!" As an instance of Cherubini's curt wit, the following little conversation is cited : — One day a friend handed a score to Cherubini, saying it was by Mehul. After looking it over he exclaimed : — " It is not Mehul's ; it is too bad to be his." " Then will you believe me if I tell you it is mine ? " said the visitor, and Cherubini replied : — " No ! It is too good to be yours." * 5.-DISCOVERING A NIGHTINGALE. Many years ago, in 1827, there lived in an almshouse in the old city of Stockholm a little six-year-old girl, who had been put in charge of an old woman who, by the way, was none too kind to the orphan in her care. When her guardian went out to earn her daily pittance, this little maid was locked in the house to prevent her wandering about ; and so the lonesome little Johanne was deprived of the bright sunshine and the sight of the beautiful trees and flowers so beloved by every Swedish heart. 14 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. One day she had worked over the little tasks assigned her until she was tired, and oh! how she longed to get out into the open air. But no, the door was locked. No wonder she poured out her childish grief in tears. Soon her sole companion caught her eye, and, taking up her half-starved pussy, she rocked her pet until they both fell asleep. When she awoke the sun had gone well down. Fearing the scolding she was sure to get when the old dame came home, the child caught up her work and began to sing in a sweet voice that seemed far too old for a girl of her age. While she went on with her singing it happened that a lady of high rank was passing the house; and so struck was she by the clear, sweet tones, that she stopped her carriage to listen. On caroled the little songstress, perfectly unconscious of her audience, till she was startled by a knock at the door. She could not open it, but some kind neighbor told the fair visitor about the little prisoner. The kind-hearted lady came back afterward and secured the child admission to a school and later to the Royal Theater classes. As the girl grew older her talent developed, until as the " Swed- ish Nightingale " she was known the world over. Do you recognize in her — ^Jenny Lind ? 6.— BALFE'S STRANGE ROOM MATE. The composer of the popular " Bohemian Girl " once had an experience that he did not care to duplicate. Landladies are not supposed to be very sentimental beings, at least toward their lodgers, but have the repu- tation of being business-like and matter-of-fact ; but the one who caused this peculiar occurrence, in which Balfe was an interested party, certainly stood at the head of the procession in her* delight in silver rather than sentiment, Balfe and other musicians were engaged for a short b5:rhoz and paganini. 15 time in some musical doings on the outskirts of London, and rattier than go back and forth from the city each day, they decided to take rooms for the time in that neigh- borhood. But apartments were scarce, and the genial Irishman was compelled to take what offered at a house not any too prepossessing in its external appearance. It was quite late. The landlady was uncertain whether there were any spare rooms or not, but left him stand- ing in the hall-way while she went to see if she could arrange a room for him. Finally she returned and told him in a confused way that his apartment was ready. Tired by the day's labor, he soon fell asleep without examining the room, but early the next morning pro- ceeded to make a tour of his apartment. He had not gone far before he discovered in a closet opening from his room — a corpse, which had evidently been put in its cramped quarters in great haste. Balfe stopped not on the order of his going, but took his departure, thankful, however, that he had not made the discovery in the moonlight of the night before. The old lady had evidently been unable to withstand the temptation to make a little r.eady cash, and summarily deprived the body of her deceased relative of its tempo- rary resting place, and Balfe had calmly stepped in and taken its place. He used to joke over the landlady's eye to business, but that experience so impressed him that he never occupied a strange room without making an examination prior to sleeping in it. 7. —BERLIOZ AND PAGANINI. Berlioz was no exception to the majority of com- posers in the matter of finances. In fact, it was a con- tinual struggle for him to keep the pot boiling, and he could only do so by his literary work. But his genius and need were recognized in other quarters. He gave a concert in which he conducted his great " Childe 1 6 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. Harold " Symphony and achieved much success. After the concert, when the composer had sat down to rest, there came to him a tall, dark man, thin as a skeleton, and, kneeling down before the whole orchestra, he kissed Berlioz's hand. It was Paganini ! The next morning Paganini's son brought to Berlioz a letter, saying, " Papa wants you not to read this letter until you are alone," and then the little fellow vanished. When Berlioz opened the letter he found it to be from Paganini, saying that, Beethoven being dead, Berlioz alone could revive him, and asked Berlioz to accept the enclosure as Paganini's homage to his greatness. The enclosure was an order on the firm of Rothschild for 20,000 francs. Berlioz was delighted with this princely gift, and wrote and tore up four letters before he could get one that would sufficiently express his thanks. The four thousand dollars served him a good turn, even if he never found out that it was not out of Paganini's pocket- book. He had the money and the violinist the credit of giving it. a— HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF. This old saying is particularly true of musical anec- dote and story. Of course, it must be that history really does repeat itself, for certainly no one could be so heart- less as to charge the enterprising manager or the penny- a-liner, sadly in need of copy, with hunting among old tales for one to apply to modern favorites. Munsey's Magazine for December ('93) gives the following inci- dent : — " A touching incident is recorded among the experi- ences of Madame Melba (now singing in New York) last year at Palermo. It was during a performance of 'Lucia.' The diva was changing her costume between the acts, when a lady appeared in her dressing-room. After com- plimenting her on her singing, the stranger took up in one hand some strands of Madame Melba's hair, which was flowing loose over her shoulders, and asked : — HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF. 1 7 " ' Is this all your own ? ' " Upon being satisfied on this point the visitor con- tinued : — " 'Allow me, Madame Melba, since I have no wreath of flowers to offer you, to twine you one with your own beautiful tresses.' " This she did, trilling a bar or two of music mean- while, for the visitor was none other than Christine Nilsson." It seemed to me that the above incident had about it the flavor of antiquity, and turning to an English work published several years ago, I find the following : " On the occasion of her second visit to Naples in 1835, an incident occurred which afforded Madame Persiani deep gratification. During the representation of ' Lucia ' she was one evening changing her costume between the acts, when a lady entered her dressing-room, and after a few general compliments on her singing, took in her hands the long, fair tresses which floated in wild pro- fusion over the shoulders of the cantdtrice, asking if they were really her own. " Madame Persiani laughingly invited her to satisfy herself on this point, when the visitor said with a smile, 'Allow me, Signora, since I have no wreath of flowers to ^ offer you, to twine you one with your own beautiful tresses,' and she did so. " Madame Persiani's heart beat with pride and joy, for it was Malibran, ' the greatest singer of the day,' who spoke." 9.— THE GREATEST MUSICAL PRODIGY. The receipt from London of a musical work edited many years ago by Dr. William Crotch calls to mind the fact that nowhere do we find record of a more remark- able exhibition of musical genius in a mere baby than in the case of this same person in his early years. He was born in 1775, and when but two years of age showed 1 8 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. a great enjoyment in music, and could pick out on the organ keys such tunes as " God Save the King." He would also play little melodies of his own, supplying them with a simple but correct harmony. He played before the King, royal family, and other titled personages of England, and was greeted with ad- miring wonder wherever his talents were displayed by his proud parents. At the age of four years he had frequently appeared in public. He could name any tone heard by him, and took great delight in pleasant har- monies, though he could not hear a discord without expressing disgust. Mozart was) in his youth, a great prodigy, but his genius was not of so early develop- ment as that of Httle William Crotch. Mozart became one of the greatest composers; but Crotch, though he was granted the degree of Doctor of Music in 1799 by Oxford University, and though regarded as a great mu- sician in his day, is now almost unknown to the musical world. 10.— A TEST OF PRECOCITY. The youthful Mozart was not the greatest prodigy known to history, but he was one of the few whose early precocity did not lead to expectations which were disap- pointed in later life. His musical life was a continual growth. Great stories were told of his marvelous abili- ties, and some of them were doubtless exaggerated. But every claim that was put forth by himself or by the parents of this wonder-child he could fulfill. The Archbishop of Salzburg had it in his power to benefit the art of all succeeding time by granting proper patronage to Mozart, but this the churlish old fellow de- clined to do. He even declared that the boy Mozart was a fraud, and in the interests of art and religion he would unmask him. His plan was to confine the young genius in a closed room, give him pens, ink, paper and the necessary words, and to hold him prisoner there IRISH ENTHUSIASM. I9 until he should have composed a mass. The Mozarts, father and son, consented to the trial, knowing it was entirely within the boy's powers. For more than a week did he stay in that room, seeing no one save the servant who brought his meals; At the end of this time he sent to the bishop his composition, which, after trial by the court band, the bishop ordered to be placed in the repertoire of the cathedral choir. But even after this display of genius the prelate was lacking in that appre- ciation of art which would have led him to become a beneficent patron. 11.— IRISH ENTHUSIASM. On the last night of her series of performances at Dublin, in 1868, Mdlle. Titiens was the recipient of such an ovation as is seldom given even to those petted beings, operatic prime donne. At the close of the aria, " Ocean, Thou Mighty Mon- ster," in Weber's " Oberon," the audience rose en masse, some calling for a repetition and others for favorite Irish songs. The uproar continued for ten or fifteen minutes before quiet could be restored, and then the ere,irom admin- istering a lively thrashing to a certain young man when he reached home. 191.— IL TROVATORE. If the following story of Verdi is true, it speaks better for his discernment as to the popular musical taste than it does for his care for the artistic standard of his works. But it probably should be taken cz^m grano salts. At any rate, the Verdi of to-day is not the Verdi of"// Tro- V afore." It is related that when Verdi was putting the finishing touches to his "// Trovatore " he was one day visited by a friend, an able and conscientious musical critic. Verdi played him several portions of the work and asked him MUSIC VS. COMMERCE. 1 89 his opinion of them. First came the " Anvil Chorus." " What do you think of that ? " asked the composer. " Trash ! " laconically answered the critic. Verdi chuckled to himself and said, " Now look at this, and this, and this," at the same time showing other numbers. " Rubbish ! " came the answer. Verdi showed his delight at these answers to such a degree that his friend demanded to know what he meant by such conduct, when the master replied : — " My dear friend, I have been composing a popular opera. In it I resolved to please everybody save the great critics and classicists like you. Had I pleased them I should have pleased no one else. What you say assures me of success. In three months '// Tro- vatore ' will be sung, and roared, and whistled, and bar- rel-organed all over Italy. And such proved to be the case. 192.— MUSIC FS. COMMERCE. We seldom hear of professional musicians leaving the field of music for that of commerce; or, in this country, of combining commercial business with the profession of music. There can be no serious objection urged to such a combination, however. When one is used to seeing the sign, "John Smith, Teacher of Music and Mender of Kettles," it loses its oddity, and surely no one can object if John teaches his music properly and does not punch another hole in his kettles for each one he mends. The commercial and the professional instincts are not necessarily opposed to each other, but frequently where one is well developed the other lies dormant. The reason is that it takes years of apprenticeship to develop either, and that which is first developed generally remains the ruling passion. Mozart had a pupil who, in spite of the greatness of igO ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. the teacher, could only be brought to a fair standing as a vocalist and a third or fourth-rate position as a composer. Now, as a general thing a man most admires in himself those abilities which he is least successful in handling. And so it was that Michael Kelly thought more of his abilities as a composer than as a singer. But after some years of professional life, Kelly found that his income was not satisfactory, and went into the wine business. As a wine importer he prospered. His friends joked him about the change of occupation, and Sheridan, the wit, declared his sign should read : " Mich- ael Kelly, Composer of Wine and Importer of Music." 193.— A NARROW ESCAPE. The favorite compositions of the public are frequently not the favorite ones of their composers. And very fre- quent is it that works to which the composer has given the most time, labor and thought find less favor in the eyes of the public than others which are not so satisfac- tory to the writers. An example of this is seen in Beethoven's well-known song, "Adelaide." Just as he finished writing this song a friend of his,* Herr Barth, called on him and found him with the manuscript, still wet from the pen, in his hands. " Here," said Beethoven, holding out the score to his visitor, " look at that ; I have just written it and don't like it. There is hardly enough fire in the stove to burn it, but I will try," and he was about to commit it to the flames, when Barth got his permission, to try the song. Barth sang it, and liking it very much, persuaded Bee- thoven not to destroy it. " Adelaide " is now perhaps the most well-known of all Beethoven's songs. A PYROTECHNIC VIOLONCELLO. IQI 194.— A PYROTECHNIC VIOLONCELLO. In the " good old times," each player in the orchestra used to have his candlestick fastened to his music desk. We read of one of the old masters who, at a certain place in one composition, had the violinists stop playing and rap the tin shades of their candlesticks with their violin bows, then go on playing as if nothing had hap- pened. And we may remember how old "Papa" Haydn, when his patron prince had a fit of retrench- ment and was about to discharge his orchestra, had each one of the players, one at a time, in the progress of the " Farewell " symphony, to rise, blow out his candle, and take his departure, until only the leader was left. This ruse secured the continuation of the orchestra's exist- ence. It was told by an English clergyman, who was quite a good player on the violoncello, that when his candle began to get dim he would, if a few bars of rest offered opportunity, hastily snuff his candle with his fingers; and, not to spoil the carpet, he would quickly thrust the burnt wick into the sound holes of his 'cello and con- tinue his performance. This was all right, if he wished to make an ash-box of his instrument. But once a wag, observing his peculiar trick, determined to have some fun at his expense, and, just before the playing began, managed to interview the parson's 'cello. Shortly after the music was well under way, our friend spotted a favorable rest and took occasion to snuff his candle, and deposited the results in his favorite place, when bang ! went the 'cello into uncountable pieces, and the good parson sprawled on the floor. Down went 'cello, parson, and all. A 'cello ne'er made so much noise before. Doubtless he treated his next instrument to a better fate than that of an ash-bin. 192 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. 195.— MISDIRECTED AND REPRESSED TALENT. Perhaps more talent than the world has ever known, more genius than it has ever recognized, has been re- pressed and coffined by the obstinacy, stupidity, or pre- judice of parents. Many a child, born to astonish the world in some line of art, has been pushed into some uncongenial occupation and its talents lost to humanity. But in some cases chance, a strong will, or Provi- dence has overruled the plans of the parents, and genius has run its course. There are enough of these cases in music alone to warrant our previous statement that in many instances where the parents' will has prevailed the world has been the loser. We have only to mention that Handel's parents had arranged that he was to be a lawyer ; that Tartini was to be moulded into, a priest ; that Schubert was com- pelled to teach school for many a day at a mere pit- tance ; that Schumann could hardly escape from the court room, following his parents' will, to his congenial music ; that Weber was kept for some time from his chosen profession ; that Zelter was apprenticed to a stone-mason ; that Berlioz' parents were determined to make a poor doctor where a great musician was the result ; that Biilow became a doctor of law ere he real- ized that music was his life work, — we have only to realize all these instances and to partially grasp what these men have been to the world to believe that but a part of the talent and genius that the race is endowed with comes to the surface. We can never know the number of cases in which it is repressed, stifled, mur- dered beyond resurrection in this life. THE DISCOVERY OF A TENOR. 1 93 196.— THE DISCOVERY OF A TENOR. The tenor is always the rara avis. He is hard to find, he is harder to train, and if we may except the prima donna, he is hardest to control. No wonder, then, that operatic managers have to start out on tenor-hunt- ing expeditions and are supremely happy if they capture a good specimen of the bird. In 1820, Count Palffy, the manager of the Vienna Opera, was at his wits' end for a good tenor. So he set out with Salieri, the composer and conductor, to scour the country round, seeking for the voice the latter wished for his last new opera. After chasing down sev- eral rumors of wonderful voices, tired and disgusted, they sought the comfort of a village inn. It was a holy day, and the peasants were passing in procession from one shrine to another, singing as they went, the most of them making more noise than music — if the truth be told. Suddenly Salieri jumped up, rushed out into the crowd and caught one awkward country youth by the arm, commanding him to " Sing, Sing ! " The fellow did so, and his tones were full, free, and of wonderful musical quality. But alas! his appearance! Bullet-headed, short, thin, ugly-featured, and — bow-legged ! But Salieri cared nothing for his appearance. He declared his legs had nothing to do with his singing, and leading him back to the inn the composer threw open the piano and begged the tenor to begin. He chose an Italian aria, and as the last sounds of a high C died away his listeners warmly encored him, for the long sought-for man was found. " What is your name ? " "Anton Haizinger." "And your occupation? " " Under school teacher." " Your salary is yearly ? " 13 194 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. " One hundred gulden and free lodgings." " Ye gods ! and you have thousands lying in your throat ! I engage you immediately for the Royal Opera." The look of joy which had filled the eyes of the amazed singer died away as, after a moment's hesitation, he re- plied : " It is impossible ; I can't leave here." " Why not, you young fool ? " cried Salieri. " I cannot ; if I go away from WiUersdorf I — I must leave Lise — and — " answered the blushing lover. " Ha, ha !" laughed the count. " Well, my man, I will give you lessons free and a hundred gulden a month the first year and after that double the amount, so you had better let Lise wait a couple of years." " It — no," murmured the amorous swain, " she would marry the miller's son, and I can't go — 1 won't go," and with a hasty bow he made his departure. Palffy felt himself outraged, but the wily Italian only laughed and said : " Have him removed to Vienna ; the fatal charmer will be faithless, we will accidentally meet him, and he will then gladly accept your offer." Now, the office of school teacher in Austria is held by governmental appointment. Palffy knew how to pull the wires and some months later found the unsus- pecting tenor in Vienna. 'Twas not long ere his beloved Lise verified his darkest forebodings, and found a hand- somer man ; yielding to the entreaties of Salieri, who had chanced (?) across him, Haizinger sought solace for his wounded heart in the divine art. A year passed and scarlet posters announced the debut of this wonderful tenor. He was to appear as " Tamino " in the " Magic Flute," and far and near had been spread the predictions of his wonderful success. A great crowd had gathered to hear the new tenor. Haizinger was so affected by stage fright that he had to be flung onto the stage by the manager when the time came for his appearance. He was awkward, and even his wonderful voice seemed to have failed him. But A LONG ENCORE NUMBER. 1 95 later in the evening his self-assurance returned and his singing was rapturously applauded. From that time on his success was assured; and for thirty years he held sway as one of the foremost tenors of all Europe. 197.— A LONG ENCORE NUMBER. Many audiences contain a certain proportion of peo- ple who are unappreciative of the fitness of things, and who proceed to show their enjoyment of singing and playing at the wrong time and in a very obnoxious manner. The effect of many a fine solo in oratorio or dramatic passage in opera has been utterly spoiled by some of ' these enthusiastic people whose zeal exceeds their good judgment. The end of a scene or act is the proper place for one to give vent to his enthusiasm. Ordinary people can frequently get a repetition of some favorite number or occasionally a whole scene; but few can encore the whole opera and have it all over again. When . Cimarosa's " Secret Marriage " was first per- formed, it was before the Emperor of Austria and his Court. This august personage was delighted with the performance and at the conclusion invited all the singers to a royal feast. Compliments were numerous and the wine flowed liberally. Finally the Emperor desired to hear the opera repeated, and so they one and all went back to the opera house and the whole opera was given again. Imagine this done with one of Wagner's music dramas ! 198.—" ENGLYSHE MEETRE." Dr. Christopher Tye, a prominent musician of the time of " good Queen Bess " once undertook to set to music the Acts of the Apostles. This was no slight task ; but the good old doctor plodded through fourteen chap- ters and then gave it up. His reasons for undertaking 196 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. such an endless and thankless task is told on the title page as follows : — " The Actes of the Apoftles, tranflated into Englyfhe meetre, and dedicated to the kynge's moft excellente majeftye, by Criftfer Tye, doctor in musyke, and one of the gentylmen of hys grace's mofte honourable chapell, wyth notes to eche chapter, to fynge, and alfo to playe upon the flute, very neceffary for ftudentes after their ftudye, to fyte theyr wyttes and alfoe for all Chriftians that cannot fynge, to reade the good and godlye ftoryes of the lives of Chrift and his apoftles." One verse will suffice to show the improvements that were made on the usual reading in order to get the Scripture into " Englyfhe meetre." It reminds one of the arrangements of the Psalms in the books of certain Psalm-singing sects. The verse quoted is the first of the fourteenth chapter. " It chanced in Iconium, As they oft tymes dyd ufe, Together they into dyd come The fynagogue of Jues ; Where they dyd preache and only feke God's grace then to atcheve, That they so spake to Jue and Greke That manye dyd beleve." Composers now-a-days think they must have words that furnish some inspiration. What would they do if confined to such a libretto as the above sample ? But those were the days of counterpoint, of the mathe- matical in music; and the composer wrote his vocal fugue without reference to the sentiment of the words. Though Handel wrote much that was expressive of feel- ing, we defy one to find much sentiment in some of his works. Take the " Amen," " All We Like Sheep," and " For Unto Us," choruses in the " Messiah," for exam- ple. They are simply fugues, set to words, to be sure, but essentially instrumental in character. No one would think of writing that style of vocal music now-a-days. "the devil on two sticks." 197 The day of writing instrumental music for voices is past. Our time demands true sentiment in words and a corres- ponding sentiment in the music. 199.— "THE DEVIL ON TWO STICKS." The following story of Haydn rests on a rather inse- cure foundation for truthfulness; but we give it for what it is worth. There was, in Vienna, an actor named Kurtz. This man, wanting the music arranged for a certain farce or light opera, called on Haydn to see if he could do the work satisfactorily. Haydn declined the commission. But Kurtz insisted that he should try. Said he, " Sit down at the piano and play an accompaniment to my actions." Then Kurtz imitated the motions of a swim- mer, throwing himself on a chair for support; suddenly he called out, "I am sinking! save me! I shall be drowned ! " Meanwhile Haydn played music fitting to the situation and delighted the comic actor with the result. At last Haydn consented to write out the music he had played and set it to the opera. This was the origin of " The Devil on Two Sticks." 200.-IMPOSITIONS ON MUSICIANS. There are many drafts made on musicians' time and good nature that thoughtfulness on the part of their friends and acquaintances might obviate. People do not realize the time and effort it takes to prepare for a public performance. This does not matter so much if the musician be an amateur with plenty of leisure ; but if he be a professional, busy with teaching or playing, and with hardly leisure to keep posted on his own specialty, let alone keeping abreast with the ad- vance of the world along other lines, it would seem to require considerable " cheek " to add to the musician's 198 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. work and subtract from his pleasure by such thought- less requests. Of course it is not in all cases that such an invitation brings a subtraction of pleasure, for it is a real pleasure to sing and play to an appreciative audience, be it large or small. But the trouble is, that in many cases he is desired to sing or play something light and trifling in order to amuse a non musical audience. If he has any conscience and refuses to give trash, — if he chooses some music that is really good, music that he is not ashamed to see on the programme, his hearers are not interested. But if, on the other hand, he de- scends to the level of the musical education of the aver- age person, he loses in artistic self-respect. In the larger cities musicians generally receive a stated sum for their services in such affairs, as funerals, wed- dings, private gatherings, and musicales. One way of getting entertainment out of some well-known musician is to invite him to dine, thinking he can hardly decline to play or sing when enjoying his entertainer's hospi- tality. But even this scheme is not always successful, as the following shows : — When Fischer, the celebrated oboe player, who was remarkable for the oddity of his manner, played con- certos at the grand concerts given at the rotunda in Dublin, a noble lord, who had been enraptured with the rare talent he displayed, came up to him, and having complimented him, gave him a pressing invitation to sup with him the following evening, adding, "You will bring your oboe with you." Fischer, who was a little nettled at that sort of invita- tion, hastily replied, " My lord, my oboe never sups." A similar story is told of a celebrated violinist who was invited to dine at a certain mansion, and after din- ner was asked to play. Upon saying that he did not have his violin with him, his hostess expressed surprise that he had not brought it. But he excused himself by saying that his violin had no necessity for dining. THE HALLELUJAH CHORUS. I99 201.— THE HALLELUJAH CHORUS. The uninitiated who attend a performance of Handel's " Messiah " are frequently surprised when, at the first notes of the " Hallelujah Chorus," the whole audience rises to its feet. Some think this custom arose from the desire to pay homage to the words. But if that be the case, they might well stand during the whole oratorio. Others imagine that it was because of the intense en- joyment in the music some audience had a hundred and fifty years ago, which brought them to their feet. But this is said to be the truth of the matter: At one of the early performances of this grand oratorio, the king of England, George I, was present. During the singing of this chorus, His Majesty, either greatly enjoy- ing the music, or perhaps simply desiring to change his position, stood up ; at once the courtiers and people followed suit, thus originating a custom which is quite pleasant in view of the physical relief afforded by the change of posture in a two-hour performance. 202.-BEETHOVEN A LA CUPID. Beethoven was a man of stern and rugged disposition, a man whose exterior was rough and whose actions were frequently peculiar ; but at the same time he had a very gentle and kindly side to his nature. Those who did not happen to see his character displayed in that light thought him hard-hearted and boorish, but that was be- cause they saw him at his worst. Beethoven had hi^own love affairs, and, as the follow- ing incident shows, was not averse to helping other peo- ple in theirs. In 181 1, Beethoven was staying at Toplitz, and took his meals at a certain inn where, as it happened, an actor named Lowe, was accustomed to dine, and, at the same time, engage in the enjoyable occupation of making love 200 - ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. to the landlord's daughter. The actor and his fair damsel had arranged that Lowe should come for his dinners after the other guests had gone, and only Beethoven remained. They calculated that he would not be an offensive third party, because of his deafness. But, as the stories generally go, the irate parents stepped in and ordered the actor to discontinue his visits. This he was compelled to do, and for a time the lovers were disconsolate. But who ever knew of an actor so easily discouraged? Lowe was seized by a bright idea. He met Beethoven on one of his daily walks, having pur- posely taken the road frequented by the master. Beet- hoven recognized him and at once asked why he had deserted the inn. This gave Lowe a chance to tell his tale of woe and to timidly ask Beethoven to take charge of a letter to the maiden. " Why not? " pleasantly ob- served the gruff composer, " you mean what is right." He placed the note in his pocket and started off with- out taking any more notice of the actor. Lowe started after him saying : — " I beg your pardon, Herr van Beethoven, that is not all." " Well, what then ? " said the master. " You must also bring back the answer." " Well, then, meet me here at this time to-morrow," and again Beethoven started on his way. As may be imagined Lowe was promptly at the place next day and received from his lady-love the reply at Beethoven's hands. And in this way the greatest of composers continued to serve the lovers as long as he stayed in that place. 203.— WAGNER AND THE BEGGARS. Wagner had a favorite walk near his Bayreuth home, which ran through some two miles of beautiful scenery, and over this route he could wander undisturbed, for the little Franconian peasant boys and girls who saw vox POPULI. 20 1 him from afar would not molest him, having heard from their parents that the affairs of Germany would some- how get out of joint if they disturbed the great man in his meditation. .One day a small maiden was so hardy as to loiter in his path and beg for a Silbergroschen. With a smile of surprise Wagner lifted the child, kissed her, and pre- sented her with a golden tenthaler piece, for, though keen to make money, he was free in expenditure when he had any whim to gratify. The news of his liberality brought out a troop of Franconian beggars of all sizes; but the composer's mood had changed, and he plied the backs of his tormentors with the famous ebony and gold staff given him by the Mannergesangverein of Vienna. The Burgomaster of Bayreuth was much agitated over this affair, and had serious thoughts of providing the composer with an escort of policemen, so that his path might be kept clear every day. For some time Wagner did not put in an appearance at Angermann's Brauerei, where he had been accus- tomed to spend an hour or two every afternoon ; and it was rumored that he intended to leave the city. But he had only secluded himself for one of his periodical paroxysms of composition, during which he was unap- proachable; but after he had again returned to the outer world he came back to his usual haunts, and magnani- mously forgave the beggars he had beaten. 204.— VOX POPULI. The day has passed when a singer could be forced on the public by royal favor, irrespective of the singer's worth or the public's willingness. But in the last cen- tury such things were still possible. In a certain city in France a royal favorite, named Laulaire, was being forced before the public through favor in high places. She was received the first evening with hisses, whistles, and cat-calls. These being pro- 202 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. hibited by the governor, the next night the whole audi- ence seemed to be afflicted with an epidemic of catarrh, and the coughing and sneezing during that performance was something wonderful. But the governor had a remedy for catarrh ; it was heroic but successful. When some of the audience were removed to prison the rest had a very quick recovery. The next night a young man brought a small dog to the theater with him, on whose tail he would accidentally step, and then the people cried, " Take the animal away ! " but with their glances directed toward the singer and not to the diminutive canine. This resulted in more arrests. The following night the climax came. One of the auditors was so incensed that he threw his boot at the singer. Instructions were then given to the soldiers at the doorways to arrest whoever came out with but one boot on. As it happened, the very first man to appear was minus a shoe. He was at once arrested. But strange to say, the next man also had a shoe missing, and the next, and the next. Every man in the house was in the same plight, and thesoldiers were thoroughly disgusted. The next day the singer gave up the con- test and left the place. 205.— WHAT'S IN A NAME. In answer to this question we must reply, every- thing, to some people. To illustrate this we can do no better than to quote some of Liszt's experiences. When he was a boy he used occasionally to enjoy a prank at the expense of his audiences. He writes : " When I was very young, I often amused myself with playing school-boy tricks, of which my auditors never failed to become the dupes. I would play the same piece, at one time as of Beethoven, at another as of Czerny, and, lastly, as my own. The occasion on which I passed my- self off for the author, I received both protection and encouragement: 'It really was not bad for my age.' WHAT S IN A NAME. 203 The day I played it under the name of Czerny I was not listened to; but when I played it as being the composi- tion of Beethoven, I made certain of the ' bravos ' of the whole assembly." This proves what is frequently true, — that people enjoy the composer's name more than they do his music. Liszt also gives another experience which proves that to many people the name matters more than the music. It was at a time when he had been bringing out many of Beethoven's works. Says he : " Beethoven's glory is consecrated. The most ignorant among the ignorant shelter themselves behind his colossal name ; and even envy herself, in her impotence, avails herself of it, as with a club, to crush all contemporary writers who appear to elevate themselves above their fellows. This winter I devoted several musical performances almost exclusively to the bringing forward duets, trios, and quintets of Beethoven. I was sure of being wearisome, but I was also sure that no one dare say so. There were really brilliant displays of enthusiasm ; one might have easily been deceived, and thought that the crowd were subjugated by the power of genius; but at one of the last performances an inversion in the order of the pro- gramme completely put an end to the error. Without any explanation, a trio of Pixis was played in the place of one by Beethoven. " The ' bravos ' were more numerous, more brilliant than ever, and when the trio of Beethoven took the place assigned to that of Pixis, it was found to be cold, medio- cre, and even tiresome, so much so, indeed, that many made their escape, thinking it was a piece of imperti- nence in Monsieur Pixis to presume to be listened to by an audience that had assembled to admire the master- pieces of the great man. " I am far from inferring by what I have just related that they were wrong in applauding Pixis' trio, but he himself could not but have received with a smile of pity the applause of a public capable of confounding two com- 204 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. positions and two styles so totally different ; for, most assuredly, the persons who could fall into such a mistake are wholly unfit to appreciate the real beauties in his works." 206.-A COSTLY FIDDLE. Jacob Stainer, of Absam, in the Tyrol, lives in the records of violin construction as the greatest of German makers, if not the only one worthy of more than passing mention. He worked in the latter part of the seven- teenth century, and his violins came to be highly valued even in his own day. There is a record that at Dresden he sold a violin to a certain count in the suite of King Charles VI for a goodly sum of gold; and besides this the count undertook to supply him as long as he lived with a hundred florins every month, a good dinner each day, a new suit of clothes every year, as well as two casks of beer, his lodging, fire, and lights. As Stainer lived some sixteen years after this, the violin must have cost the count a goodly sum, all told. 207.- BACH'S GREAT WORKS. HOW ENJOYED BY SOME. Bach is one of the most famous names in the history of musical art. There are records of 247 Bachs, who, in one way or another, distinguished themselves both by composition for, and performance on, the organ. John Sebastian Bach's last and in some respects greatest work, " The Art of Fugue," was left unfinished by the failure of his eyes. His friends urged him in his old age to write a treatise on fugue and fugue making. He started to do so, but, after writing a few pages, threw away the work in disgust, exclaiming, " I cannot teach by precept, only by example," and then recommenced the work on a different plan. He took one simple sub- ject, and on it wrote sixteen fugues and four canons, in PECULIAR ENGLISH. 20S every style of composition. This work on " Fugue," the " Passion Music," and the " Well-Tempered Clavi- chord " are considered the most splendid results of his genius. But while this grand music of the old " cantor " of Leipzig is, to some, an exposition of the highest form of art, to others it is nothing but a dreary succession of sounds which falls on ears unattuned to its grandeur. But there is still another class, though we hope it be small, that sees for Bach's music a purpose which, though it may savor of utility, does not of dignity. The use to which a proportion of modern concert- goers puts Bach's music has its precedent in the custom of a certain count who lived in Bach's day. This noble was particularly fond of Bach's music, and at the same time was occasionally troubled with insomnia. At these times he would have one of his musicians play a particular set of variations " of a soothing and rather cheerful character," as we are told, variations that were written for him by Bach, and which so pleased him that he presented Bach with quite a sum of money. We are not accustomed to thinking of Bach's music as soporific in character, and yet if one glances over an average audience during a programme containing a goodly amount of Bach, we may see that with some people it has that tendency. 208.— PECULIAR ENGLISH. Not every singer, even though he be able to excite the plaudits of thousands by his song language, can succeed in making a hit by spoken language. The well- known singer, Brignoli, seemed to be successful in both lines, as witness the following. It became necessary, one evening, for some one to apologize for the non- appearance of the prima donna, as she was suffering from a sore throat. The manager sent Brignoli before the 206 ' ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. curtain to make the necessary excuses. So the tenor went forward and said: — " Ladies and gentlemen, I regret to zay zat Madame N ees a leetle hoarse zees evening." Peals of laughter greeted this announcement; the tenor looked puzzled, and, thinking the people had mis- understood him, he roared out: — " I zay zat Madame N ees a leetle hoarse zees evening!" This was greeted by another explosion of mirth ; then, to cap this lucid explanation, some one in the gallery roared out, " Then if she is a little horse why not trot her out?" That explained to the puzzled tenor the cause of the laughter and he was then able to join in the fun. Another instance of a musician's English failing him at a crucial moment was when, some years ago, Paderew- ski played in Boston with the Nikisch orchestra. One of the orchestral soloists became very much excited at the private rehearsal, and stood up and made_ a little speech to the orchestra, fairly glowing with patriotic pride : " You see, Paderewski — my countryman — a Pole — he is like Cassar — ' He came, he saw, he enquired ! ' " 209.— ORIGINAL TAPESTRY. " I was not rich enough to buy good pictures, so I made myself some tapestry such as I am sure every one cannot have." The tapestry in question was truly such as few could have and still fewer could manufacture ; for it was Haydn that spoke and the hangings referred to consisted of over forty compositions in canon form, mounted and hung in his bedroom in the way custom- ary for paintings and engravings. Had it been some composers we might think it a monumental exhibition of vanity or pride in their own abilities, but Haydn's nature was hardly of that kind. A BURIAL PLACE DENIED. 20^ 210.— THE MANUAL LABOR OF COMPOSITION. It is hard for us to realize the amount of laborious writing and copying there is for a composer to do before he has his manuscript ready for the printer. The manual labor necessary is enough to deter one from composi- tion, even were he gifted with the composing ability. A good way for the student to appreciate this is to try copying, in a clear, exact hand, a few pages of compli- cated music, or, better still, transposing a few pieces from one key into another. Beethoven, although averse to details, and though not as profuse with his signs of expression and nuance as some composers, has given us, in his manuscripts, an example of care and exactness, as well as of deep thought and continued study. In his overture in C, Op. 115 (the manuscript of which, by the way, he sold to a London publisher for ;^7S), besides the labor of writing the mere notes, it was no inconsiderable task to properly indicate the dynamic effects intended. For instance, the sign sf. occurs in this score more than fifteen hundred times, and besides this there are hundreds of other signs such as p., piu., PP;f;ff;fff; ^fP; ^fPP; C^^^; dim., etc. It means something besides God-given genius to be a great composer, — something more than the ability to improvise music. It means days and years of slavish toil. 211.— A BURIAL PLACE DENIED. The incidents connected with Paganini's death and burial were as peculiar as was the life of that very pe- culiar man. The great violinist died at Nice, Italy, in 1840. When a priest came to administer the last sacrament, Paganini, not believing that death was so near, postponed this final consolation of the church. The priest departed, 208 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. and in a few hours the violinist died without the pres- ence of a clergyman. This priest reported that Paga- nini had refused the sacrament; so, when application was made for a burial permit, it was denied by the church. The Governor of the province, and even the King, petitioned the Bishop to allow the body to be interred in sacred soil, but the decree was not altered. A law suit was entered upon by the heirs, and a waiting room was provided for the corpse, where it could pass the time till sentence was pronounced. While this law suit was being carried on in a bitter way to secure a good Catholic burial according to the rites of his church, and while Paganini was quietly and patiently awaiting the decision as to where should be his last resting place, a Jew proposed to one of Paga- nini's friends to purchase the remains, offering 30,000 francs for the embalmed mummy, for the purpose of exhibiting it in England and elsewhere ! The body reposed in a pest house for three years, awaiting interment. Finally a funeral was conceded by the Pope, and in a small boat the remains of the greatest of violinists were carried to Genoa, his birthplace, and in 1845 were interred near Parma, in a splendid tomb erected by his son. Paganini kft to his son a fortune amounting to ;^400,- 000. In his will he left a fixed sum for masses which were to be said for the repose of his soul. It is certainly to be hoped that his soul found rest sooner than it was permitted by the church for his body to rest. His native city of Genoa has preserved Paganini's violin, a valuable Guarnerius, and since his death no hand has touched it save one, that of his pupil Sivori, for whom it was removed from its glass case. VON BULOWS PECULIARITIES. 2O9 212.— VON BiJLOW'S PECULIARITIES. Von Billow was more Gallic than Teutonic in his bright sayings and caustic wit. He was a curious fellow and fascinating despite his peculiarities. With his pas- sage from the stage the musical art of our day lost one of its most representative men. He was so bothered by admiring ladies who requested his signature that he had his secretary write them, and was greatly bored if this useful personage was absent and he had to pen his name himself But he recom- pensed himself by writing as abominably as possible. At one concert where he played only Beethoven sona- tas, he seemed to be very happy over the fact that the audience applauded him most in that sonata, which, as he said, " I played like a pig." He took a peculiar course toward a conductor who came to his assistance at the last moment, in a certain concert, the musician who should have conducted being intoxicated and unable to appear. At the end of the concert von Biilow went to the one who had volunteered so kindly, and was very effusive to him before the audi- ence, and even embraced him. He was extravagant in testifying his satisfaction, and there was much applause at the scene. Von Biilow, after the concert, said, " Did you see my little scene with the conductor ? " When asked why he was so desperately demonstrative, and why he made such a scene, he replied: "Ah! you ask that ? I expected you would." But why not? It did me no harm, and it may do him good. Besides, I was so grateful that the conducting was no worse, that I could not restrain myself" After having been recalled three or four times at one concert by deafening cheers, he was prevailed upon, almost by force, to sit down again before the piano and play another piece. Satan knows what deviltry possessed him, but in mad defiance of the pub- lic he began the " Marseillaise " and went through it 14 2IO ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. with intense energy and feeling, unheeding the auditors, who, after the first moment of incredulous surprise, rose to their feet and attempted to drown the hated strains of the French revolutionary hymn in groans and hisses. 213.-NOT AT FIRST SIGHT. There are different ways of singing at sight. So Handel found out one time, on a visit to Ireland. He was detained at a certain point for several days, and wishing to prove some copied parts of the " Messiah," he arranged to have several choristers of the town where he was, meet him and study the music with him. But one fellow failed so completely that Handel turned on him in wrath and cried : — " You schountrel ! Did you nod dell me dat you could sing at sight?" " Yis, sorr, Oi did. And Oi can ; but not at first soight ! " Very many readers at first sight seem"" to be blessed with the gift only of " second sight." 214.-RESTORING AN ORGAN. Many of the pipe organs used in our churches are poor affairs. The church committee that is vested with purchasing power seems generally to be chosen, like jurymen, on account of entire absence of knowledge of the subject in hand, — in this case of music in general and organs in particular. The result is that they are at the mercy of the organ builder in matters of construc- tion, though he is at their mercy in the matter of money ; for in many cases the main consideration is to expend as little as possible and get in return not the best action, stop combinations, and material, — but the greatest pos- sible quantity of external display. Consequently we find organs having the tone quality poor, the key action hard and stiff, the stops requiring AN EXCITING MUSICAL DUEL. 211 the muscle of a Sandow for manipulation, the swell slamming like a window blind, the tremulant rattling like a wheezy horse, and the balance of pedal and manual registers such as to make the word " balance " a mis- nomer, to say nothing of the pipes being generally out of tune. True, these various ills may not often coexist in the same organ ; but frequently we find several of them dwelling in — discord together. The cause of this state of affairs is anxiety, when pur- chasing, to get quantity rather than quality, and after- ward allowing the instrument to go for months and years without proper attention. An organ should be regulated, adjusted, and tuned at least once a year, by a competent man, and not by the "tramp" tuners that leave an instrument in worse condition than they found it. It is poor economy to try and rebuild or restore an organ. After it reaches a certain age it is best to re- place the instrument with a new one, having used in it as many of the old pipes as the builder sees fit. Im- provements are constantly being made in mechanism, and the latest and best action should be secured rather than patch up an old one. Snetzler, an English organ builder, but originally from Germany, once reported to a committee concerning the restoration of an old organ in these words : — " Gentlemen, your organ be vort von hundert pound just now. Ven you spend von hundert pounds on him to fix him up he will den be vort fifty ! " 215.-AN EXCITING MUSICAL DUEL. Madame Malibran was a woman of delicate and re- sponsive nervous organization, but with a fiery spirit and an indomitable will. On the occasion of her second marriage, after the ceremony had taken place and the guests assembled at her home, she asked the great pianist Thalberg to play. He did so, but only on con- 212 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. dition that she should sing. Though tired and nervous from the fatigues of the day, she sang, but in a manner that was hardly like her normal self. When she had iinished she turned to him, saying, " Now it's your turn, Mr. Thalberg." Then a musical duel took place which we will let an eye-witness de- scribe : — " He had not been married- that morning, and the presence of such a listener putting him on his mettle without unduly exciting him.Jie drew from his instru- ment all that wealth and suppleness of tone which made it the most harmonious of singers. As he went on, Malibran's face gradually changed, her lack lustre eyes became bright, the mouth gradually expanded, the nos- trils began to quiver. When his last note had died away she said : ' Admirable ! Now it's my turn.' And forthwith she intones a second piece. But this time there was no appearance of either fatigue or listlessness, and Thalberg, absolutely bewildered, sat watching the transformation without being able to believe in it. It was no longer the same woman, it was no longer the same voice, and all he could do was to say in a low voice, ' Oh, madame, madame ! ' She had barely finished when he said animatedly, ' Now it's my turn.' " Only those who heard Thalberg on that evening may perhaps flatter themselves that they have known the ' whole man.' Part of Malibran's genius had com- municated itself to his masterly but severe style; he had caught the feverish passion of her soul. Currents of electric fluid ran from his fingers over the keyboard. But he could not finish his piece. At the last bars Malibran burst into violent sobs, she hid her face in her hands, she shivered from head to foot, and we had to . carry her into the next room. She did not remain there very long ; in a few moments she reappeared, with proud uplifted head and flashing eyes, and, rushing to the piano, she exclaimed : ' Now it's my turn.' She re- sumed that strange duel, and sang, one after another, AN INTERRUPTED STRAIN. 21 3 four pieces, increasing in grandeur as she went, uncon- scious of everything around her in her growing excite- ment, until she noticed Thalberg's face bathed in tears as her's had been." 216.— AN INTERRUPTED STRAIN. Musicians are sometimes affected in composing by events of the most trivial kind. It was a casual and unimportant matter of this character that accounts for a certain peculiarity in one of Schumann's compositions. In his " Humoreske" the reader may remember that the short section headed " Einfach und Zart " is interrupted by a short theme of entirely different character from the context. A member of the Schumann family gives the following as a reason for this peculiar break in the con- tinuity of the piece : — ' " When the master was engaged upon the section referred to, a strolling carol seller came down the road, followed by a crowd of children, and calling attention to his wares by blowing a pipe upon which he could play three notes. With the flow of his sentimental melody arrested by the itinerant and obstreperous music, Schu- mann at once proceeded to make the pipe theme the motive of an intermezzo, accompanied by a throng of semiquavers to stand for the children. The episode dies away (the man's pipe becomes faint in the distance), and the composer then resumes his interrupted strain." 217.— A MUSICAL TRAGEDY. The attributed history of the Italian musician, Stra- della, might supply a good plot for as bloodthirsty an opera as any one of modern Italian school of opera composers might wish. Indeed it has been so used by two composers, Flotow and Niedermeyer, and it is a co- incidence that both operas on this subject were brought out in the same year, 1837. There is no doubt that 214 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. Stradella was a musician of much ability, as is attested by some 150 compositions of his that still exist. He died in the latter part of the seventeenth century (about 168 1), but there is no reliable historical record as to the manner of his death or that it was brought about by the chain of events related in the story. But to the tale ; we give it for whatit is worth : — Alessandro Stradella was, during his life, one of the foremost musicians in Italy. One historian calls him Stradel, and so it is possible that he was originally from north of the Alps, and his name plain Alexander Stra- del. At any rate he was celebrated as a violinist, a singer, and a composer. Among his pupils in Venice was Ortensia, a beautiful young lady, whom a certain nobleman had enticed from her parents. Teacher and pupil soon fell in love with each other and fled from Venice. The noble, thus deprived of his fair mistress, swore vengeance and dispatched two assassins who were at any cost to overtake and remove the offenders in true Italian style. After searching in various places, these ruffians learned that Stradella and the fair one were liv- ing in Rome, and there they quickly hastened. Learning that on a certain night Stradella would go from his house to a church where an oratorio of his composition was to be given, and in which he was to sing the principal part, they determined to surprise him and Ortensia on their way home, and put into effect their master's wishes. They traced the composer into the church and kept close eye on him throughout the service. But one element they had not calculated on— that was the effect of Stradella's music. It so over- powered them and softened their hearts that they gave up their purpose, and instead related to him their mission. That night the lovers fled to Turin, and the hired assassins went to Venice and reported that the couple had escaped to Turin and that they were afraid to follow them there. Still mad for vengeance the nobleman se- BEETHOVEN S GRATITUDE. 21 5 cured the services of two other bandits more desperate than the others, and, disguising them as merchants, sent them off to Turin. Meanwhile Stradella had secured the good will and assistance of a certain duchess who placed Ortensia in a convent and kept the musician in her own service as chapel master. He kept within the palace walls for some time, till one night, thinking that vengeance no longer pursued him he ventured to take a walk on the ramparts of the city. But the assassins were on the watch and quickly attacking him, left him with what they supposed fatal wounds. As good fortune would have it, Stradella recovered from the attack and signalized his recovery by marry- ing his charmer. But such good fortune was too good to last. The Venetian noble was continually on his track, having sworn never to give up his pursuit of revenge. A short time after his wedding, Stradella vis- ited Genoa to superintend the performance of one of his operas, and it was there that vengeance overtook him and his wife. The assassins easily discovered their stop- ping place, and, gaining entrance to their bedchamber, stabbed them both, this time fatally. 218.— BEETHOVEN'S GRATITUDE. In spite of his occasional petulance of temper, Bee- thoven had a warm heart for those in distress ; and, moreover, he seldom forgot any one who had rendered him a good service, although he did at times impute selfish motives to his friends when they advised him for what they considered his own good. When his mother lay ill at his old home in Bonn, he hurried to her from Vienna, but arrived in time only to witness her death. After the funeral he found himself reduced to the verge of starvation. Had it not been for the violinist, Ries, who advanced him some funds, he would have suffered the pangs of hunger. 2l6 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. Many years afterward, the son of this violinist came to Beethoven for musical instruction and presented a note of introduction from his father. The great com- poser gave him a warm reception, a thing many aspir- ants for his instruction did not receive; and besides having his request that Beethoven should oversee his musical education granted, he was given this message to his old father in Bonn: — " Tell your father I have not forgotten the death of my mother." 219.— CHOLERIC HANDEL. The possession of genius seems to give a man the right to set at defiance the conventionalities of life. Beethoven was somewhat rough and unmannerly, and acted in a way, when in polite society, that, were it not for his genius, would have entitled him to the appellation, " a boor." Handel was also in a position where he could snap his fingers at some of the senseless doings of the society of his day as well as at the wilfulness of his singers. Together with all musicians who ever took part in any concert or musical entertainment, Handel greatly desired that the performance be not interrupted by the late or noisy entrance of careless patrons. Even when conducting performances at the residences of royalty, if the young Prince and Princess of Wales were late in their coming he would give them a good scolding. And if, after the rehearsal had begun, the maids of honor or other attendants made any disturbance it so irritated the master that he would not confine himself to rebukes, but would swear at the offenders and call them names ; and then the good princess would calm them with, "Hush, hush, Handel is in a passion." MUSIC VS. CONVERSATION. 217 220.— MUSIC VS. CONVERSATION. Music is one of the most powerful known incentives to conversation. To appreciate this statement one has only to use his powers of observation at the next social gathering he may happen to attend. Things may have been as dead as a door nail before, but let some one be- gin to play or sing and at once numerous individuals rn,ore sociable than polite feel urged to start conversation with their neighbors. Such an occasion seems quite a test of true politeness, and yet were one to intimate on such an occasion that any law of good breeding had been infringed much offense would be taken. Were the musicians to follow the plan taken by Corelli, the great violinist, a better state of things might gradually come about. On one occasion he was performing at the house of Cardinal Ottoboni for a select gathering. Observing the cardinal taking part in what seemed to be an inter- esting conversation with a guest while he was playing, Corelli laid down his instrument in the middle of his performance, politely remarking, " I fear my music in- terrupts your Grace's conversation ! " 221.— THE WORLD'S REWARD TO GENIUS. Wealth and great musical genius do not seem to go hand in hand. Some few of the greater composers have achieved wealth. Some were born to riches, and a few have had riches thrust upon them. There are some plants that flourish on the bleak mountain side, amid storm and wind. Musical genius seems of such a nature. Adverse circumstances have surrounded nearly all who have been in the highest degree possessed of this gift. It would seem that such adversity were necessary to the development of genius. Beethoven was the son of an impecunious singer of ;!l8 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. irregular habits ; Mozart had a continual struggle with poverty ; Schubert was frequently on the verge of starvation ; Bach was known to go barefooted for want of shoes ; Rossini was set to earning his own living when but seven years old; Haydn, the son of a poor wheel- wright, acted as a servant and valet in order to obtain in- struction ; Weber, Spohr, Gliick, Wagner — but why go on ? All went through the " storm and stress " period and all came out conquerors; not in a financial, but in an intellectual sense. This would seem to prove that poverty is an impetus to great works. Affluence and ease have produced little in this field of labor. They seem to enervate the mind and to stifle genius. Doubtless, there have been many talented men among the wealthy classes of different countries, perhaps some with the genius of Haydn or Weber ; but the motive power was lacking. They were born under the same condition that Rossini secured for himself — a condition that was fatal to even his energy. Rossini achieved wealth and fame in the first half of his life. Nearly everything he produced was greeted with the acclamations of the musical world. Wealth poured in upon him. Then, when " William Tell " did not receive the customary amount of applause, Rossini retired from active composition, and for the last forty years of his life he did nothing but enjoy the fruits of his early talents and industry. This was the only in- stance, as far as we know, where a really great composer has allowed the productivity of the best years of his life to be blighted by the influence of wealth. But Rossini was an exception. Poverty followed some of the great geniuses, even in their latest day. Others accumulated only a tithe of what would have been the reward of equal genius in other walks of life. Mozart left to his family but sixty gulden in money and personal property to the amount of four hundred gulden. The inventory of Schubert's effects, which consisted AN OBESE BASSO. 2I9 entirely of wearing apparel and a little music, showed sixty-three gulden. Yet Schubert left as a legacy to the world six hundred songs, nine symphonies and numerous other compositions, from which the pub- lishers reaped a golden harvest. Beethoven fared better. After his death his furniture and music were sold ; and when the expenses of his last sickness had been paid the residue amounted to nine thousand gulden, i. e., something over four thousand dollars. Well did the trustee of his estate remark, " He was only a master ; he knew but his art, leaving to others the gain." Truly, success is posthumous. 222.— AN OBESE BASSO. The great basso, Lablache, besides being a very tall man was remarkably large and heavy. In fact, he was so large that, when living in London, he had a cab of extra- ordinary size built for his use, as the ordinary " growler " persisted in breaking down under his weight; and it was considerable more trouble to get out from a wrecked vehicle than it was to get into it. It is told that when he was one time singing in Havana, as he was riding along the street in a cab, the bottom of the carriage was crushed through by* his heavy weight, letting his feet down on the ground. The cabman knew nothing of the accident but continued to drive on, serenely uncon- scious of his employer's plight. So there was nothing for the elephantine basso to do but to run along, keeping up with the cabby's pace, all the while calling to the driver to stop. Those who saw Lablache's plight had a hearty laugh at the spectacle of those fat legs sticking out from under the cab. At another time he was cast in an opera for the part of a prisoner who had wasted away by years of incar- ceration in the dungeon. When this mountain of flesh came walking down the stage singing, " I am starving," 220 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. the whole house broke into a roar of laughter, and the obese basso had to make an ignominious exit, followed by the shouts of the audience. What a pair Lablache and Mme. Alboni would have made. 223.— PRESERVING IDENTITY. The dislike that Mendelssohn had to being mistaken for Meyerbeer has had parallels among musicians of lesser note. The public hardly has a fair chance to see the features of the conductor as he sits with his back to the audi- ence. Sir Julius Benedict and Arditi, both most excel- lent opera conductors were much averse to being taken for each other. The fact that Sir Julius was bald- headed did not help matters any, for Arditi also suffered from a depletion of hirsute appendage. On one occasion Benedict was seen to go into the prima donna's dressing room just before the evening's performance, and, taking up a hairbrush carefully ar- range his scanty locks so that they would cover as much space as possible. When asked his reason for the re- arrangement he answered, " Oh, I don't want to be taken for Arditi while I am directing." Shortly afterward in came Arditi and with a couple of brushes began to so arrange his hair as to cover as little as possible of the baldness. When questioned as to his reason for making himself look as bald as possi- ble, he said, " Why, I don't want to be mistaken for Benedict." 224.-A GREAT GERMAN SONGSTRESS. Henrietta Sontag had to combat a great prejudice from her very first appearance on the stage. This was the idea held by the musical world of that day that a German could not sing. Old Frederick the Great was not alone in this prejudice. Sontag made her debut in A GREAT GERMAN SONGSTRESS. 221 1820, when but fifteen years of age; and so short of stature was she at that time, that they had her wear shoes with heels four inches high. As time went on, she became one of a group of great sopranos, of which the others were Fodor, Pasta, Malibran, and Catalani. In Berlin Sontag met Count Rossi, and, as an ardent attraction sprang up between them, they became en- gaged, but the engagement was kept a secret for some time, owing to the probable opposition of the Count's relations, the Bonapartes. In Paris she captivated the heart of Charles DeBeriot; but, true to Count Rossi, she refused the hand of this celebrated violinist. DeBeriot was greatly dejected at his refusal. Mme. Malibran, meeting him shortly after this event, exerted herself to arouse him from his melancholy ; and, in fact, she succeeded so well that his admiration and regard turned to this beautiful Spanish singer, and he consoled himself for the loss of Sontag by marrying Malibran. In after years Malibran was a bitter rival of Sontag, as she never forgot that the latter was DeBeriot's first love. A year or two after Sontag's marriage to Rossi the union was made public, and, as Countess Rossi, she bade farewell to the stage. Then came a period of twenty years of happy life with her husband at the different European capitals. But, in 1849, her husband having lost his property by political changes, Sontag returned to the operatic stage, where, although she had to enter the lists against the talents and popularity of Jenny Lind, she renewed her triumphs both in Europe and America. She had restored the family fortune by her income on the stage, and was about to leave it for- ever, when she was attacked by the cholera in our southern climate, at the City of Mexico, and in a few hours was dead. 222 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. 225.— A SIGHT FOR THE BOYS. Moscheles tells the following story of Beethoven : " One morning I went to call on Beethoven quite early, and found him still lying in bed ; but he happened to be in remarkably good spirits, and jumping up immediately without dressing, placed himself as he was, at the win- dow looking out on the street, to examine my arrange- ment of certain numbers from ' Fidelio.' " Soon a crowd of boys collected under the window, and seeing them he roared out: — " ' Now, what do those confounded boys want ? ' " I laughed and pointed to his slightly adorned figure. " ' Yes, yes, you are quite right,' said he, and hastily put on a dressing gown." 226.— PAGANINl IN COURT DRESS. Musicians are like the rest of mankind. Some are sensible, others foolish ; some liberal, others stingy ; some foppish, others careless ; some have much general education, others have none ; some are broad in their views, others narrow ; some are egotistical, others modest; some regular in habit, others unreliable; some just, others unjust ; some prompt in meeting obligations, others never meet them if they can help it; some are respected, others forfeit respect ; some pay attention to the conventionalities of life, others by their capricious actions make themselves ridiculous. However great the musician, back of the musical skill there is but frail humanity, so why should the world expect from the musician as a man, aught save the actions, ideas, and peculiarities of the average man ? . Among the great musicians who succeeded in making themselves ridiculous, not many were so successful as Paganini, the king of violinists. Several instances of his caprice might be cited, but one will suffice. The A GORY DRUMSTICK. 223 grand duchess, Marie Louise, once gave a grand fete at Parana, and Paganini offered his services. They were accepted. Later he wished to withdraw from the pro- gramme, but was not permitted to do so. On the even- ing of the concert the artist was late in arriving, and when he did come, one authority tells us he wore the following costume : — "A French coat of sky blue velvet with orange colored buttons : a long, flowery waistcoat which was longer than was fashionable, hiding the slenderness of his body ; a pair of white satin knee breeches (hired, as was all the rest, from some second-hand shop) showing the bony state of his legs ; his white silk stock- ings niade hundreds of creases on his scraggy legs ; and his enormous shoes ornamented with immense silver buckles, contrasted with such thin shanks. " This ridiculous personage created great hilarity, which doubled when the strange ornaments covering his "breast were observed. There was quite a variety. Decorations conferred by sovereigns, presents given by others, crosses of every description, emblems of all sorts, rings, pins, buckles, pendants, birds, fish, violins, lyres, hoops, miniature bows, all in gold, silver, and platinum. All these objects tinkled at every movement and the public continually laughed. As soon as possible silence was established and the supreme artist preluded a little and then played divinely." 227.— A GORY DRUMSTICK. A celebrated impresario once had a hard battle with the tenor, Guiglini, concerning the part of "Pollio" in the opera " Norma." The tenor had taken an oath never to sing that part again, and was perfectly willing to put the manager to a great loss by his obstinacy. And all for this reason : When he had last sung that part Mdlle. Titiens was in the title role. At a certain place in the progress of the opera " Norma " has to summon, 224 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. by striking a gong, an assembly which is to pass judg- ment on the guilt of a prisoner. Mdlle. Titiens, in giving this gong a lusty blow, drew back the stick with such force that it came into violent contact with the unfortunate nose of " Pollio," who was behind her, and the result was that Signor Guiglini shed his life blood so freely on that occasion that he took an unconquerable hatred to the opera in question. But he was finally brought to time and made to sing his part. This little incident simply gives a hint at the whims and oddities an impresario has to overcome in his singers before the public can enjoy their favorite operas. 228.— GREAT MUSICAL MEMORIES. No matter what other talents a musician may have, if he has not a very strong and retentive memory his musical genius will probably remain obscure. It is fortunate, however, that a strong inventive power or talent for composition will generally be accompanied by an adequately developed memory. For this reason, when one begins to write of the retentive memories of the great composers, there seems to be no stopping place short of the end of the list. It goes without saying that an opera singer must be able at all times to place perfect reliance on his memory. It is hard to appreciate the task that falls to a singer taking a prominent role in some of the grand operas, Wagner's, for instance. The mere notes form only a minor part of the work. There are the words, the nuance, and the action; and a slip in any one of these means a failure, more or less pronounced. Many have been the fine voices that are lost to the stage because of a lack of that vital necessity, a reliable memory. But there is this redeeming feature — memory, like all other faculties, grows with use, and especially is this true of music, where the association of words and music is a great aid for the retention of either. GREAT MUSICAL MEMORIES. 225 Next to the operatic singer comes the instrumental executant. Among these Mozart was most prominent for his good memory. Von Biilow was another whose memory seemed to have no end. He could play almost any classic composition that might be called for. Bee- thoven's sonatas he could give note for note, but this is told also of Sir Charles Halle, Rubinstein and others. Biilow could give a piano recital every day for a month, and repeat no number, all from memory. It is related of him that his manager desired him to give cer- tain compositions at a recital in a distant city. A tele- gram to this effect reached him as he was about to set out on his journey. The pieces were new to him, hav- ing been just published ; but he procured the music and learned them on the train en route. The first time he played them was at the concert that night. As a conductor, his memory served him equally well. His precision was such that it gave evidence of thorough acquaintance with the entire score of nearly the whole repertoire of symphony and opera. Most of the great conductors such as Richter, Weingartner, Nikisch, Seidl, Thomas and Paur will do a large part of their orchestral conducting without score. Especially is this true of the standard classics. We have related how Mozart, when a boy, retained Allegri's " Miserere " on one hearing, and how he wrote out the whole composition on his return home from the service. This phenomenal memory stood Mozart in good stead, as the following incident shows :^ Some three years before he died he played his con- certo in C before a Leipzig audience. At the proper time Mozart sat down to begin and the orchestra was all ready. The concerto had not yet been printed, and the orchestra played from manuscript. To the surprise of the audience Mozart only used a bit of paper with a few of the beginnings of the themes written thereon. When asked about it he said, " Oh, the piano part is safely locked up in my desk at Vienna. I am obliged to IS 226 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. take this precaution when I am traveling; otherwise people contrive, somehow or other, to get copies of my scores and print them without the least acknowledg- ment to me." 229.— A COMICAL REVENGE. That eccentric prima donna of the French stage, Madame La Maupin, some of whose pranks we have mentioned in another sketch, after passing her prime and losing her voice and prestige, was glad to accept whatever offered as a means of earning her livelihood ; and so we find her as lady-in-waiting to the Spanish Countess Marino. But that misfortunes had not broken her spirit or destroyed her sense of humor, we m^y see from this incident : — Feeling that she had been ill-used and harshly spoken to on a certain occasion, she determined to have a harm- less revenge. My lady was preparing to attend a grand ball, and called on La Maupin to dress her hair, as one of her duties was to assist at the toilet of the Countess. When the task was completed the Countess gave ^ hasty glance into the glass, and relying on her maid's skill did not make a careful examination of her coiffure. The feathers in her head-dress were tastily placed, and so, complimenting the maid, the lady hastened away. Upon her entrance into the ball-room she noticed that she seemed to cause attention and even illy-suppressed mirth. But the reason she did not discover until she had paraded around the room, and some good friend, taking pity on her, informed her that her back hair was tastefully trimmed with little red radishes ! Exit Countess ! She returned home in a great rage to vent her anger on the unlucky Maupin ; but the bird had flown'^ feeling that she had obtained her revenge by making the sharp-tongued Countess the laughing-stock of the town. SCHERZO. 227 230.-SCHERZO. It is not always that we can have from a great musi- cian's own pen a concise sketch of his life. So we pre- sent the following one, in the line of a curiosity. In a collection of musical autobiographies we would natur- ally expect the "ego" to be rather prominent. But in the following sketch of himself which Moszkowski sent to a Boston friend, we find an admirable modesty and a ready turn of humor. In reply to his friend's request he wrote : — " I took my first step before the public in my earliest youth following my birth, which occurred August 23, 1854, in Breslau. I selected this warm month in hopes of a tornado, which always plays so prominent a part in the biography of great men. This desired tempest, in consequence of favorable weather, did not occur, while it accompanied the birth of hundreds of men of much less importance. Embittered by this injustice, I deter- mined to avenge myself on the world by playing the piano, while I continued in Dresden and Berlin as Kul- lak's pupil. In spite of the theoretical instruction of Kiel and Wuerst, a lively desire to compose was early aroused in me. I perpetrated, in time, an overture, a piano concerto, two symphonies, piano and violin pieces, songs, etc. ; in short, I have twenty works in print. " I should be happy to send you my piano concerto but for two reasons : first, it is worthless; second, it is most convenient — the score being four hundred pages long — for making my piano stool higher when I am en- gaged in studying better works. " My prominence as a pianist is known to you. I have concertized in France and Germany, and soon go again to Berlin, where they are at work, day and night (by electric light), preparing my triumphal arch and a pro- cession of virgins clothed in white. " Besides these extensive acquirements, I can play bil- 228 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. liards, chess, dominoes and violin, can ride, imitate can- ary birds, and relate jokes in the Saxon dialect. Am a very tidy, amiable man and your very devoted friend and colleague, " MORITZ MOSZKOWSKI." 231.— BUT ONE SEAT LEFT. The public performer has frequently cause to ejacu- late, " Deliver me from my friends." And there is no time when this exclamation is more appropriate than when he is pestered by his acquaintances for compli- mentary tickets to his concerts or recitals. If this demand came only from friends it would not be so bad ; but more frequently it is the friend that pays his way and some chance acquaintance or even total stranger that unblushingly proffers his request for complimentaries. Not every artist can keep his good humor under such provocation, or come out of the ordeal as neatly as did Rubinstein when, some years ago an old lady rushed up to him in London with, " Oh, Mr. Rubinstein, I am so glad to meet you ; all of the tickets are sold and I have tried in vain to pur- chase a seat to your recital. Do you not have a seat you could let me take ?" " Madame," replied the great artist, " there is but one seat at my disposal, but you are welcome to that if you will take it." " Oh, thank you, a thousand thanks, Mr. Rubinstein. Where is it?" " At the piano," was the smiling reply. 232.-A COMPLIMENT FROM HAYDN. In a broad course of musical reading one is continu- ally coming across scathing criticisms and slighting re- marks made by the great musicians concerning each other's works. But it is natural perhaps, that men of so A PARTICULAR PRIMA DONNA. 229 great genius should see the world through their own spectacles and not feel like allowing another man credit for seeing it through his. But, on the other hand, we have many instances showing the thorough appreciation some have had for the works of others, and for the promise they gave of greater things. Haydn was one of the best dispositioned men, and from him we would naturally expect to hear pleasant things and gentle criticisms. When Cherubini first met Haydn, in Vienna, in 1805, the latter was seventy -three years of age, while Cheru- bini was still in the forties, and just beginning to com- pose the works that made him famous. The old veteran handed to the younger man one of his latest composi- tions, remarking — " Permit me to style myself your musical father, and to call you my son." No greater compliment could have been paid the younger man. Encouraged and impressed by Haydn's friendliness, Cherubini could not, on parting, restrain his tears. 233.— A PARTICULAR PRIMA DONNA. Bizet found many difficulties in the production of his celebrated opera, " Carmen." One, which gave him the most trouble, was the dissatisfaction expressed by his prima donna with the aria she was to sing on her first appearance on the stage. He had originally written an air in six-eight time, graceful enough, but not particu- larly characteristic. This would not do at all for the singer, as she wanted something which would make lier first appearance effective. Bizet produced in succession no fewer than thirteen different versions of " Carmen's " aria d'entrata, but none of them realized the prima donna's ideal. Bizet's imagination was exhausted, and the lady was as dissatisfied as ever. In despair he bethought him of an old Spanish air 230 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. which had struck his fancy while he was looking through a collection of songs years before, when his ideas of " Carmen " were still undeveloped. With the aid of this melody he composed the ''Habanera" with which she at last professed herself contented. The singer's instinct was quite right, for not only does the famous air express the character of the wayward gypsy in a nutshell, and put it before the audience in vivid colors at the outset of the piece, but it was one of the few numbers which was praised unreservedly by the critics at the first performance, and it still remains as popular as ever. 234.— MENDELSSOHN'S KINDNESS. Henry Chorley, an English critic and musical writer of much note, on one of his trips to the continent went to Leipzig for the purpose, among other things, of meet- ing Mendelssohn and hearing some of his works. Shortly after his arrival he was taken with an acute attack of illness and confined to his room, a small apart- ment in a crowded German inn. He had met Mendels- sohn and other musicians before his illness. It is not pleasant to be sick among strangers in a foreign land, and his feelings were not of the most enjoyable kind. His illness had been known but a few hours when he heard a heavy tramping up the stairs. It stopped at his door. " Who is there ? " he called. " A grand piano to be put in your room," was the reply, " and Dr. Mendelssohn is coming directly." And soon Dr. Mendelssohn did come, with his warm smile and hearty greeting. " If you like," said he, " we will make some music here to-day, since you must not go out," and down he sat and began to play a lot of music about which Chorley had expressed some curiosity the day before. For hours Mendelssohn stayed there delighting, as Chorley mod- CAMPANINI AS A SOLDIER. 23 I estly said, "an obscure stranger as zealously and cheer- fully as if his time could not be measured by gold, and as if his company was not eagerly and importunately sought by the 'best of the best,' who repaired to Leip- zig with little purpose but to seek his acquaintance." 235.— CAMPANINI AS A SOLDIER. Seldom do we find an operatic singer in the battle- field taking his part in his country's battles. Of those who have been delighted with the tenor voice of Signor Campanini, few have known that they were applauding a brave soldier, as well as a finished singer. He was one of the first to volunteer to serve under Garibaldi at Marsala, and his zeal and bravery were so great that while yet little more than a youth he obtained the post of sergeant. At the battle of Capua, during the fiercest fighting, he was wounded by two sabre cuts; he still carries the scars, one on the right cheek and the other on the neck. But this did not stop his fighting, and had it not been for a severe fever which nearly killed him, it is very likely that the brave volunteer would never have left the campaign. At this time he had never thought of such a thing as being a singer, but he soon after ob- tained admission to the Parma conservatory of music, where he made surprising progress. To-day he is one of the foremost tenors and has attained this enviable position of his own merit and exertion. Of the many singers upon. the concert stage we venture to say that there are few, if any, with a like record for soldiering and singing. 236.— TO MAKE A PLAYER PLAY. When, after a life of application and artistic strivings, success crowns a composer's labors and he has reached the climax of fame and achieved a financial competence. 232 .ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. who can blame him for taking a rest from the work of composition and the worry of conducting ? This was the case with Rossini and Lulli. Each came to be re- garded as the most prominent operatic composer of his time, and each after accumulating a fortune retired to private life. Lulli was an excellent violinist, but so fatal was suc- cess upon his musical interests that he even laid aside his violin; He would not keep a fiddle in the house, nor could he be prevailed upon to touch such a thing. But a certain French noble determined to hear Lulli play once more, and hit upon the following plan. H-e had one of his servants take up a violin and attempt to play one day v/hen Lulli was present. The man made more noise than music and the effect was so exasperat- ing to the composer that he snatched the offending in- strument from the servant and, to soothe his disturbed nerves, proceeded to play in his own charming manner for quite a time. The company that was present were of course delighted with the ruse. Perhaps this plan might be recommended to those who have so much trouble in getting Mr. A. or Miss B. to perform for their friends, when upon being invited to use the instrument they proclaim their utter disability. A wish to show their superior abilities might produce the desired result, even where the spirit of accommoda- tion and courtesy is absent. 237. -TRUE KINDLINESS. Even Beethoven's closest friends were not always sure what mood they would find having dominion over him. But .underneath the external crustiness, caused partially by the impositions to which he was subjected, and by his consequent distrust of humanity, was a vein of gen- erosity that was not generally appreciated or realized. When Moscheles took his brother to visit Beethoven, knowing Beethoven's aversion to strangers, he had his VIOTTI S INDEPENDENCE. 233 brother wait below while he went to Beethoven's room. After greeting Beethoven he said, " Will you permit me to introduce my brother to you ?" " Where is he," he suddenly replied. " Below." " What ! down stairs ?" and Beethoven rushed off and siezed hold of the brother's arm, saying: — "Am I such a savage that you are afraid to come near me ?" And Moscheles relates that after that Beethoven was kindness itself both to him and the visiting brother. 238.-VIOTTrS INDEPENDENCE. There was an incident in the career of Viotti, the great violinist of a hundred years ago, that parallels the little scene that took place in Cardinal Ottoboni's palace when Corelli rebuked the Cardinal for conversing during a musical performance. Viotti was, up to his time, the most polished player of his instrument that had appeared before the public. He was also a man of great inde- pendence and originality. Marie Antoinette had commanded him to play at the royal palace at Versailles. He was in the midst of one of his finest compositions when the Count d'Artois was announced with great noise and bustle. When that haughty scion of royalty had entered, he paid no atten- tion to the player, but disturbed the audience by his loud talking and rude behavior. Viotti's independent spirit could stand this no longer; so he took up his music, placed his violin in its case, and unceremoniously withdrew. This display of justifiable pride drew on him the displeasure of the court. This and his open expres- sion of his democratic opinions made advisable his departure from France, and he shortly afterward ap- peared in London, where he gained great renown. But here again his eccentric and independent nature 234 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. asserted itself, and he received notice from the Govern- ment that his absence from England was desired, and the quicker it came about the better for M. Viotti. So he took up his residence in Holland for some years, until this edict was revoked, when he returned to England. There he forsook art for commerce for a time and entered into the wine business. It could hardly be said of him, however, as it. was of Michael Kelly, that he should be labeled, "composer of wine and importer of music." It is not surprising that an artist should be unsuccessful as a business man, and soon Viotti again turned to his art to retrieve what he had lost in business. Going again to Paris, he became director of the Grand Opera, and was later retired to private life with a pension granted by the French Government. He then returned to London and spent his remaining days in that city, where he died in 1824. 239.-NOT THE GEESE THAT SAVED ROME. The stories told of Hans von Biilow are legion, but the following is too good to omit : — Biilow was a master of satire and irony, as the orches- tras and choruses which came under his direction could well testify. On one occasion he rebuked the feminine half of an oratorio chorus which he was rehearsing. While the tenors and basses were singing their parts the sopranos and altos indulged in conversation. They were called to order several times, but paid no attention. Finally von Biilow rapped upon his desk and called out, " Ladies, Rome does not have to be saved to-night," which remark produced the desired effect. THAT PATTI KISS. 235 240. -THAT PATTI KISS. An enthusiastic Missouri gentleman once showed his admiration of Patti in a way which doubtless aroused much envy in the breast of many a younger man. Here is Patti's account of the affair: " I had just finished sing- ing ' Home, Sweet Home,' when a nice-looking old gentleman, who introduced himself as Governor Critten- den, began congratulating me. All of a sudden he put his arms around me and kissed me, saying, ' Madame Patti, I may never see you again, but I cannot help it,' and before I knew it he was kissing me. When a gen- tleman, and such a nice old gentleman, too, and a Gov- ernor of a great State, kisses one so quick that one has no time to object, what can one do ? " At the time this took place there was great rivalry between Mmes. Gerster and Patti, and a good deal of warm feeling was engendered on the part of each song- stress, Patti going so far as to declare that Gerster was possessed of the " evil eye." Patti laid all her misfor- tunes at Gerster's door. When they were in San Fran- cisco a slight earthquake took place. Patti crossed her- self and ejaculated, "Gerster!" Well, Gerster was interviewed on this Patti kiss. She told the reporter she saw no occasion for so much com- ment about a slight matter like that. " What ! you don't ? " said the astonished scribe. " Certainly not ; there is nothing wrong in a man kiss- ing a woman old enough to be his mother! " 241.— LONGEVITY OF MUSICIANS. The fact that several of the more celebrated com- posers have died when in their prime, or in some cases even before they had reached their best 5''ears, has pro- duced an opinion in the minds of some who have not scanned musical biography very closely, that the ner- 236 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. vous and mental strain to which a composer or an artist is exposed is fatal to longevity. An examination of statistics does not prove this true. In fact, the burden of proof seems to be the other way. True, some of the careers that have promised most brilliantly, and have been at the same time a fulfilment of it, have been cut short in the glory of their young manhood. So many have finished their career in their third decade of life that it has come to be known in this respect as the " fatal thirties." Pergolesi ended his short life at 28; Schubert died at 31 ; Bellini was 33; the brilliant Mozart was but 35 ; Purcell, t"he gifted English- man, and Bizet, who might have been another Berlioz, IT, Mendelssohn died at 38; Chopin and Nicolai, 39, Weber, 40 ; Schumann, 46. In several of the above in- stances the untimely end was the direct result of a lack of public appreciation and support ; but in few cases the end was hastened by the demands of the art itself Now to the oth^r side of the matter. Out of a large list of the greatest names in musical history, I find 69 per cent, to have passed their sixtieth year, and this list included the " fatal thirties," which tended, of course, to reduce the average. But why should the musician not be long-lived? The very conditions of his work may be conducive of that result. Says a recent writer on this subject : " There is nothing demoralizing in de- liberately and for a definite purpose putting one's self or others through the experience of a highly strung series of emotions. It is even a good and very healthy func- tion of art to raise one's feelings to their highest degree of intensity. It is a part of a correct system of disci- pline, calculated to bring the emotions into high con- dition and healthy activity, and to keep them in good state — may I say? — of repair. The body is intended and suited at times to bear an extreme tension of its muscles. The athlete is perfectly aware that systematic exertion and exhaustion must be undergone in order to raise his physique to its highest form of power and LONGEVITY OF MUSICIANS. 237 health. The laws which regulate the life and health of the emotions are exactly similar, and these laws pre- scribe regular, steady exercise, rest, recreation, and sometimes tension. In itself the habitual exercise and discipline of the emotions in music has not an evil effect, but quite the reverse ; it is the very condition of health." But to return to our statistics. Out of the lOO most prominent musicians, composers, and performers, of all ages and countries, I find sixty-nine who have passed the age of 60, and eighty-nine who have passed 50 years. And this does not include those veterans who are still working, viz. : St. Saens at 59, Brahms at 61, Joachim at 63, good old Verdi at 81, or Ambroise Thomas, now 83, who lately witnessed the lOOOth pro- duction of his opera, "Mignon," the first circumstance of its kind in history. In our select hundred, I find Hucbald reached 90 years ; Auber, 89 ; Cramer and Fetis, 87 ; Lachner, 86 ; Zingarelli, 85 ; Cherubini and Dufay, 82 ; Matheson and Ockenheim, 83 ; Rameau, 81; Clementi and Palestrina, 80; Tartini, 79; Haydn, yy ; Moscheles and Rossini, 76 ; Spohr, Liszt, and Gounod, 75 ; Lassus, Handel, Em. Bach, Zelter, and Pleyel, 74 ; Gade and Gluck, 73 ; Meyerbeer and Wagner, 70; Scarlatti, Czerny, and Berlioz, 66 ; John Sebastian Bach and Rubinstein, 65 ; Corelli and Raff, 60; Hummel, 59; Beethoven, 57; Paganini, 56; De Beriot, 50. And, incidentally, we might note that some of the master works in musical composition have been com- posed after their authors have passed the span of life usually allotted to musicians. Handel was 56 when he wrote the " Messiah " and 61 when he wrote " Judas Maccabseus ;" Gluck composed " Iphigenia in Tauris " at the age of 65 ; Haydn penned the " Creation " in his 69th and the " Seasons " in his 72d year ; Verdi at 79 produced " Falstaff;" while AQber wrote his " Reves d' Amour" in his 87th (some say 85th) year. Of these hundred musicians, the average age was 238 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. ^S/4 years. Another compiler, of statistics finds the average of several thousand musicians to be 62 }4 years. He finds teachers to be the longest lived; then, follow- ing in the order given, writers, vocalists, wind instru- ment players, composers, organists, pianists, and, lastly, players of stringed instruments. 242.— LISZT AS AN ADVERTISER. Even modern advertisers might get a "pointer" from Liszt on advertising methods. He was once billed for two concerts in a French town. The first night the audience numbered only fifty people, of whom but one was of the gentler sex. The artists gave the most of their programme, and then Liszt stepped forward and said: " Gentlemen and madam, I think you've had enough music. We now ask you to do us the honor of supping with us." As maybe expected, the audience did not decline the invitation, and they enjoyed a ban- quet at Liszt's expense. The next night the house was full and the pianist was more than reimbursed for his outlay on the previous evening. But the second audi- ence " went supperless to bed," realizing that a supper did not always go with a piano recital. 243.— ARRESTED FOR TREASON. The famous baritone, Tamburini, once had an experi- ence which showed the appreciation in which he was held by royalty. He was passing through Venice, where he was very popular and greatly idolized, on his way to Trieste to keep an operatic eng.agement in that city. As he, with his lovely young wife, were seated in their gondola on the way to the ship which was to carry them on their journey, they were overtaken by a Gov- ernment gondola filled with armed men, and the singer was placed under arrest. He protested that he was an opera singer simply passing through Venice, that he never ARRESTED FOR TREASON. 239 meddled with politics, and that there must be some mis- take. But the officer showed the order for his arrest, and the singer and his wife were transferred to the Gov- ernment vessel and taken back to the city. The gondola drew up to the heavy doors of a large building and the prisoners were conducted through a long passage-way and suddenly thrust into a brilliantly lighted room, which proved to be the " green room " of a theater. The officer then addressed him, saying, *' I have the honor to announce to you the commands of his Majesty the Emperor. It is his imperial wish that you perform to-night in the ' Marriage of Figaro.' The Emperor, together with his Majesty the Emperor* of^ Russia, will honor the performance with their presence." The audience was one of the most brilliant that could be conceived, and Tamburini excelled himself At the end of the last act, the audience remained to call the singer before the curtain and deluge him with wreaths of flowers. When, flushed with triumph, Tamburini returned behind the curtain, he found himself again a prisoner, and he and his trembling wife were conducted to the apartments assigned to them. While their treat- ment had been courteous, they knew not what was in store, nor could they obtain any information from the soldiers in charge. The answer was that " he should know on the morrow." The next day Tamburini was conducted into the royal presence. The whole court was assembled to do honor to the illustrious guest, the Emperor of Russia. When his name was announced, the singer made his obeisance and stood awaiting the monarch's commands. " Signor Tamburini," said the Emperor, " you stand before us a prisoner, but we understand you plead igno- rance of, your offense." " I do, Sire; I am ignorant of how I have broken the laws or offended your Majesty." " Then we will tell you. It was high treason for you to attempt to pass through this city without stopping to 240 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. sing for us. You are proved, guilty of a conspiracy to defraud our good Venetians of their rights in refusing them the privilege of hearing you. You lie at our mercy. But we will remit all punishment other than a few days' imprisonment with us. Moreover, we have ordered a sum of money to be paid to you in testimony of our appreciation of your performance, and, in addition, allow you to ask any favor you will." " Sire, I simply ask to be permitted to keep my word to my. friends at Trieste, who are expecting me." "You are a noble fellow, Tamburini, and your request is granted ; only to-night we must have you in ' Lucia di Lammermoor ; ' and now come nearer." The artist knelt at the monarch's feet. " Receive at our hands this medal 'di nostra Salvatore' and learn how much we love to honor genius," and the Emperor flung a golden chain around his neck. Tamburini was then presented to the Russian Em- peror and received the compliments and congratulation of the nobility present. The next day the artist was sent on his way rejoicing, loaded with honors and tan- gible marks of royal esteem. 244.— ROTHSCHILD'S MUSIC. The difference between artistic and financial self-respect is well illustrated in Spohr's meeting with Rothschild, the wealthy banker, in London. Spohr had called to present a letter of credit. Rothschild took it, and after glancing it over said, " I have just read that you manage your business very efficiently, but I understand nothing of music. This is my music (slapping his purse) ; they understand that on the Exchange." As Spohr was leav- ing, the banker called out, " You can come out and dine at my country house." It need hardly be added that Spohr did not accept this delicately tendered invitation. THE PRISON JOSEPHS. 24I 245.— THE " PRISON JOSEPHS." Contemporaneous with Stradivarius was a family named Guarnerius, one of whom, Joseph (1683— 1745), achieved great fame from the excellence of his instru- ments. This man, in order to distinguish his works from those of a cousin bearing the same name, generally added to his name on the tickets inserted in his instru- ments the cross and the letters, " I. H. S." These are supposed to be the initials of some religious society of which he was a member. From this addition to his name he is known as Guarnerius " deljesu." His grand- father, Andrew, was a pupil of Nicholas Amati, but the instruments of the elder Guarnerius, and those of three of his descendants are not particularly noticeable ; the fourth, Joseph, '^del Jesu," whom I have mentioned above, turned out some violins which were quite the equals of those of Stradivarius when at highest. His model is not quite so large nor the bouts quite so long as with Stradivarius, but the shape is most ele- gant, and no fault could be found with the wood or var- nish. It is even said that some of his best specimens are more pleasing to the eye than those of Stradivarius. But during his later years there was a remarkable change. The wood became defective, the work careless, and the varnish poor. The exact cause for this decadence is not known, although a very pretty story is frequently told, which, fortunately for the reputation of Joseph, seems to be founded more on fancy than on fact. The story runs that he was an impecunious and idle rascal, and that he was imprisoned for some unknown cause ; also, that the jailor's daughter supplied him with rude tools and material and boughi the varnish from various makers who were in the enjoyment of their liberty. This would have made a pretty good story as it was, but the romancers have added additional details. This fair damsel, so we are told, taking pity on Joseph's 16 242 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. condition, took out the completed fiddles and hawked them about, selling them for whatever offered, and buy- ing with the proceeds necessities and comforts for the prisoner, who, it should be added, was a married man. (It is best to omit this latter fact in teUing the story. It sounds better.) Unfortunately for the story, the archives of Cremona make no record of a prisoner named Guarnerius, and for an idle man he turned out a remarkable number of val- uable violins. This tale has obtained so much credence that the rougher of the " del Jesu " fiddles are called " Prison Josephs." It must have been a peculiar combination of circum- stances that led him to send out inferior violins at this time of life, but the above story is admirably concocted to fill the niche. Another peculiar thing is, that after this poor work he made at least one violin the excel- lence of which has hardly been equaled. This is the one played so long and loved so dearly by Paganini, and at his death bequeathed to his native city, Genoa, where it still lies in its glass case. This noble instrument was made in 1743, and its maker died two years afterward. 246.— SCHUMANN'S FAILURE. One of the fortunate accidents of musical history was that which occurredto Robert Schumann in his early days. Schumann had a great ambition to become a fine pianist, and had already made great strides in that direction, when his eagerness to hastily acquire a command of his instrument led him to make an unfortunate experiment. He found, as every one else finds, that a pianist is greatly hampered by the third fingers being bound down by extra tendons. This makes these fingers unwieldy and very slow of training. So Schumann, in order to more quickly acquire the necessary digital dexterity, rigged up a contrivance which should hold the unruly member quiet while he played with the other fingers. This treat- GENIUS DISCOVERED BY PUNISHMENT. 243 ment he carried to such excess that it resulted in an incurable lameness. By this, his career as a virtuoso was nipped in the bud. For a while he was cast down by this misfortune, but soon determined to turn his energies to composition, and the result is that we have in his works a series of compositions second only in value to those of Beethoven. This experience of Schumann's embittered him against all contrivances for aiding the pupil to more quickly acquire piano technic; and in his "Rules for Young Musicians" he warns all against mechanical apparatus. But because he made a failure of his clumsy contrivance is no reason why the student of to-day should be preju- diced against the contrivances which modern thought and skill have arranged to more quickly assist him toward his goal, at the same time saving him and his neighbors many hours of painful sounds. 247.-GENIUS DISCOVERED BY PUNISHMENT. Madame Mara, one of the greatest singers Germany has produced, had her musical talent brought to light by a peculiar incident when she was a child. Her father, besides teaching music, was a repairer of instruments. Frequently the little girl would perch her- self on a high stool and gravely watch him while he mended some broken violin. One day he left a repaired instrument lying on his bench, and the inquisitive child undertook to play it and try to get from it the music she had heard others bring from the same source. But in her ignorance she broke one of the strings. On her father's return she was roundly scolded and promised that a recurrence of such meddling would bring severe punishment. For some days this threat had the desired effect, but the wish to again produce the attractive tones made the little one forget the admoni- tion, and again she tried her hand at playing, but this time she was caught in the act. 244 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. To punish her, the father declared he would make her learn to play the instrument she had tampered with. He expected she would shrink from this as a heavy pun- ishment, but was greatly surprised to see her run eagerly to the violin and draw from it a series of smooth and pleasant musical tones. Being a sensible man, he resolved to cultivate this faculty, and in due time Mara became a brilliant violinist, and later, winning great renown as a singer, the father was able to lay aside the repairing of voices and instru- ments. 248.— RICHARD WAGNER AND THE NUMBER " 13." If the number " 13 " is, as many people believe, an unlucky one, certainly the life of Richard Wagner must have been full of ill-luck ; for this cabalistic set of figures turns up at all times and places in his biography. While Wagner had, during some periods of his life, a hard bat- tle with the non-appreciation of his fellow-musicians, we would hardly like to believe, after reading the last thirty years of his biography, that his life was an utter failure ! So perhaps there is not so much bad fortune in the num- ber " 13 " as the superstitious Scotchmen would have us believe. But the recurrence of this number so frequently is a peculiar coincidence. A .statistically inclined writer has made the following list :— Wagner was born in 18 13 and died on the 13th of the month ; there are 13 letters in his name, and the sum of the figures in 1813 equals 13. The full date of his death was the 13th day of the second month in '83 ; it makes 13 twice — viz., first 13, and again 2 + 8^-1-3=13. He composed 13 operas or "music-dramas." His first and determining impression in favor of a dramatic career was formed on the 13th of the month. He was influenced in his choice emphatically by hearing Weber's "Freischictz," and by Wilhelmine Shroder-Devrient. The latter went A LITTLE TRICK OF PAGANINl's. 245 upon the stage on the 13th of October, 18 19, and the " Freisckutz" was completed on May 13, 1820, and first performed in Dresden, Wagner's home, in 1822 (1 + 8+2 + 2=13). Weber died in Wagner's 13th year. Wagner's first public appearance as a musical personage dates from the year 1831 (1+8 + 3+1 = 13), being at this time a music student in the Leipzig University. The stage at Riga, where he became a director, was opened on the 13th day of September, 1837, and he there began the composition oi" Rienzi," which he completed in Paris in 1840 (1+8+4= 13)- On the 13th of April, 1844, he completed his " Tannhauser," and it was per- formed in Paris on March 13, 1861, and on the 13th of August, 1876, he began the first presentation of his " Baireuth dramas," the " Nibeliingen Ring!' Wagner was exiled from Saxony for 13 years. The 13th of September, 1882, was his last day at "Baireuth" before leaving for Venice. Wagner saw Liszt for the last time in Venice on January 13, 1883, and finally he died on the 13th of February, in the 13th year of the new German confederation. 349.— A LITTLE TRICK OF PAGANINI'S. The most brilliant period of Paganini's life was from 1814 to 1818. He was in high favor in Italy and was then more free with his talent than later in life. He was poor at that time and was largely occupied with gamb- ling and with falling in love, but at the same time he was prodigal with his music, whether it be in the palatial dwellings of the aristocracy or on the streets. Together with an excellent guitar player named Lea, he would wander all night long playing under the win- dows of their friends and improvising the most fascinat- ing duets. Then when tired they would drop into the nearest inn and refresh themselves in a way not unheard of by many other musicians. One evening a rich gentleman begged the pair, Pagan- 246 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. ini and Lea, together with a 'cellist named Zeffrini, to serenade his lady-love. They consented. Before begin- ning to play Paganini quietly tied ah open penknife to his right arm. Then they commenced. Soon the " E " string snapped. " That is owing to the damp air," said the violinist, and kept on playing on the other three strings. A few moments later the "A" broke and Paganini exclaimed, " Just see what the dampness is doing this evening ! " But he went on playing. Finally the " D " snapped, and the love-sick swain began to be fearful for the success of his serenade. For what could Paganini do with only one string on his violin. But Paganini simply smiled and went on with the music with the same facility and strength of tone that he had previously used on all four cords. The penknife was more to blame than the dampness of the air. 250.— LISZT'S COMPLETION OF THE BEETHOVEN MONUMENT. A notable achievement of Franz Liszt was his raising of the funds for the completion of the Beethoven mon- ument at Bonn. The enterprise had come to a standstill when Liszt became interested in it and declared he would complete it single handed. In a short time he had, by means of concert giving, raised the required amount, and the commission for the statue was in the sculptor's hands. A great Beethoven festival was arranged for the ded- ication of the monument. After meeting with all kinds of difficulties and overcoming them, it was discovered there was no hall in Bonn large enough for the huge audience that would be gathered there at that timie. The committee of that city were afraid to build one, fearing they would be put to some expense. Liszt settled the matter by himself guaranteeing the necessary amount. DELAYED APPRECIATION. 247 and the "festhalle " rose as if by magic. The exercises incident to the unveiling of this monument were at- tended by many royalties of Europe, among them being King William, of Prussia, and Queen Victoria, of Eng- land. The whole affair was a great triumph for Liszt as well as a memorial for Beethoven, and was a fine exem- plification of this great pianist's energy and versatile abilities as business manager, conductor and pianist. 251.— DELAYED APPRECIATION. At a recent auction sale of autographs and original manuscripts in Berlin, the sixteen-page score of a can- tata by J. S. Bach sold for ;^400, and two others by the same composer for $350 and ^325, respectively. For the three manuscripts ^^1075 ! During his lifetime Bach hardly received so much for all the compositions he disposed of In fact many were never printed at all. So slight was the recognition given him that the pub- lishers would issue but few of his works. In order to save some of them from oblivion,' Bach engraved them with his own hands, and the extra strain this made on his eyes caused him to lose his sight. His " Art of Fugue," which appeared two years after his death, /. e., in 1752, though having a flattering preface from Mar- purg, then the foremost critic of Germany, did not meet with sufficient sale to cover the cost of the plates on which the music was engraved ; and as there seemed to be no chance of more income from the work, the plates were ^old by his heirs for old copper. Posterity is atoning for this neglect of genius. The Bach Society is issuing in large handsome volumes all of his works. He is now regarded as the fountain head of instrumental music. To have the firmest foundation, a musical education must be based on the study of his compositions. This revival of interest, or, rather, creation of interest in Bach, must be largely accredited to Mendelssohn, 248 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. who admitted that his own fluency and versatility in composition, especially in contrapuntal forms, had much of its origin in a careful study of the scores of the old Leipzig cantor. Mendelssohn was also very prominent in bringing the music of Bach before the public of his day, and securing for it its proper recognition by the musical world. Bach was a very religious man, and is doubtless enjoy- ing the reward of a well-spent life. But while the rec- ognition of to-day cannot save hini the poverty and trials of his years of painstaking composition, who can say that it may not even now afford him pleasure to know that the century succeeding the one in which he lived has awarded him the olive wreath which was then withheld. 252.-OVERFED COMPOSERS. While some of the men whom we have to thank for our best music had to struggle hard for the necessities of life, and then were not always successful in obtaining them, others have lived in luxury and have even been famous as gourmands. Rossini, for one, was quite an epicure. It is told that he once gave his picture to his provision dealer with the words " To my stomach's best friend " inscribed on it. The merchant thought this too good an adver- tisement to lose and so had the whole thing engraved on his bill-heads and circulars. Dussek was a notorious glutton, in fact, over eating and drinking brought him to his death-bed. His patron, Prince Benevento, besides paying him a good salary furnished him seats for three at his tables, and it was no infrequent thing that Dussek "got outside of " the provisions at all three places. Many a time was Handel caricatured in England as an overfed glutton. In one fanciful engraving he was pic- tured as a huge hog sitting on the organ bench sur- rounded with cabbages and strings of sausage. There NASAL. 249 was some cause for this, as witness the following: In- tending to dine at a certain inn, Handel ordered dinner for three. He waited a while, and, as the dinner did not put in an appearance, he asked why the delay. The waiter replied, " It shall be sent up, sir, as soon as your company arrives." "Den bring up de tmner prestissimo. I am de gom- bany!" 253.— NASAL. A peculiarity about the singing of French artists is a tendency toward a nasal quality of tone. This proba- bly owes its origin to the language and, perhaps, some- what to the French school of singing. So whenever Frenchmen condemn a singer for using a nasal quality we may be sure the peculiarity was quite pronounced. Such was the case with a singer of the last century named Larivee who sinned so much in this nasal respect that when he appeared he was frequently greeted with the remark, "That nose has really a fine voice." How many noses we may listen to in the average congregation that can hardly be said to have good voices ; or, perchance, we might put it, how many voices which have defective noses. 254.— A BOLD PUPIL. It is to Ferdinand Ries that we are indebted for many particulars as to the life and habits of Beethoven. This great master lived a solitary life, and for this reason our records of him are not so complete as to details as are the accounts of some of the other great composers. It is said that Ries, who, by the way, was a pupil of Bee- thoven, gave way to the temptation to " draw the long bow " occasionally, and that some of his statements concerning Beethoven are more or less tinged by his imagination. 250 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. However, here is one little story that probably may be accepted : " Upon Ries' first appearance in public as Beethoven's pupil, he was to play the C minor concerto from manuscript. This was the first performance of a work which has since become a general favorite with concert pianists, though it is not so great as the E flat concerto. Ries asked his teacher to write a cadenza for the work, but Beethoven, in a particularly genial mood, told the young man he might compose one him- self and insert his own cadenza. This was a high honor. Ries wrote his cadenza, but, on presenting it to Beethoven, the latter objected to one passage which was so difficult that its correct perform- ance was doubtful, and advised the substitution of an easier passage. This Ries did until the time of the con- cert. When he came to the cadenza, instead of playing the easier passage he dashed into the forbidden one and completed it with great success. " Bravo," cried Beethoven, and the audience took up the applause. After the performance Beethoven, re- membering the disobedience said to Ries, " You are always obstinate. I would never have given you another lesson had you missed one note of that passage," and we may well believe Beethoven would have kept his word. 255.— WAGNER'S ACTIVITY. Richard Wagner was a merry little man, and retained his health and spirits till his last years of life. The two incidents here given show his quick judgment and prompt action, as well as his eccentricity. He was once climbing a precipitous mountain in company with a young friend. When some distance up and walking along a narrow ledge the companion, who was following, called out that he was growing giddy. Wagner turned round on the ledge of the rock, caught his friend and passed him between the rock and himself to the front, where he was safe. AN OPERA SACRIFICED. 25 1 Ferdinand Praeger, relates an incident of a visit to Wagner at his Swiss home. The two men sat one morning on an ottoman in the drawing-room, talking over the events of the years. Suddenly Wagner, who was sixty years old, rose and stood on his head upon the ottoman. At that moment Wagner's wife entered. Her surprise and alarm caused her to run to her husband, exclaiming. "Ah! Richard! Richard!" Quickly re- covering himself, he assured her that he was sane, and wished to show that he could stand on his head at sixty, which was more than Ferdinand could do. Perhaps Wagner wrote some of his music while standing on his head. It certainly reverses many old-time ideas of composition. 256.— AN OPERA SACRIFICED. The pages of manuscript that lie on the composer's desk may represent to him the thoughts, ideas, as- pirations of years. It is no wonder, then, that his first thought should be for his beloved score, and that he should be ready to risk a good deal in order to preserve it from destruction. Lulli once ran a terrible risk to save the score of his best opera, no less a risk than that of incurring eternal damnation — according to his father confessor. It happened this way : Lulli was ill, so ill as to fear death. He hurriedly sent for a priest and asked for absolution, but the priest would not grant it unless he would promise to destroy the score of his latest opera. It seems the church did not regard his operas as being conducive of a rapid moral growth among the people. Finally the composer gave in, and pointed to his desk where the lately finished work lay in rough score. The priest secured the doomed manuscript, burnt it, and then granted the desired safe conduct to paradise. But Lulli was not so sick as lie thought, and proceeded to get better. Some time after, he was visited by one of the 252 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. young princes, who, when he heard of the destruction of the opera protested vigorously. " What," said he, " you have burnt your beautiful opera. You are a fool to have given way to so gloomy a priest and to have destroyed so much music ! " " Don't get angry," whispered the sick man, " I knew what I was about; I have another copy of it laid away." Unfortunately, the recovery was not permanent and Lulli suffered a relapse. He was now told that it was impossible for him to recover. Again he sent for the priest and this time delivered to him the remaining copy of the opera and begged forgiveness for his deceit. The priest prescribed as penance that he should be laid on a heap of ashes with a cord around his neck ! Lulli gladly submitted and died happy. 257.— AN ERRATIC PRIMA DONNA. One of the " freaks '' of the operatic stage was a lady who was before the public in the time of Lulli, and who bore the name of Madam La Maupin. This versatile lady was given to all sorts of questionable pranks, such as would hardly be tolerated in the present century. Having secretly learned the art of fencing, she pro- ceeded to seek an opportunity to put her skill to use. She declared a certain opera singer had insulted her; and, donning male attire, she lay in wait for him as he left the theater one night, and challenged him to draw his sword and defend himself But the fellow was a coward and refused to fight ; so she demanded his money and jewelry and then gave him a sound thrashing. The next day when this brave gentleman was boasting to some friends how he had been attacked by three robbers and how he had put them to flight, she coolly produced the plunder and told the whole story. When only sixteen, this adventuress ran off from her husband and proceeded with a newadmirer to Marseilles, where she appeared on the stage in masculine attire ; and WHEN THEY BEGAN. 253 SO good a looking man did she make that one young lady in the audience fell violently in love with her. La Maupin, keeping up her disguise, encouraged the love smitten damsel, and the affair grew so serious that the girl's parents placed her in a convent to remove her from the influence of this captivating suitor. But La Maupin was not so easily frustrated. Don- ning- her proper attire, she applied at the convent for admission and finally was received as a novice, and thus kept up her intimacy with her admirer, who thought her assumption of feminine attire a disguise. But convent life soon lost its attractions for this uncertain person and she quickly hit on a scheme that permitted them both to escape. One of the nuns having just died and having been buried on the grounds, La Maupin, disinterred the poor lady, placed her remains in the infatuated girl's bed ; then she set fire to the dormitory and in the confusion which followed they both made their escape. Then tiring of the part she was playing, she discovered her sex to her admirer and sent her home to her mother, sadder, and perhaps wiser. 258.— WHEN THEY BEGAN. It is generally thought that a man must begin his career before the public at a very early age if he is to reach a high point in the world's list of celebrities. But the perusal of the following list shows that some have begun their musical career late in life. In this list we do not refer to the date of the first entrance of the musician into the field of composition or of his first public appearance, but give the age at which he stepped out into earnest work, his preliminary studies being completed. Mozart began his career at the age of 1 2 ; Weber at 14 ; Rossini at 18 ; Handel, Cherubini, and Donizetti at 20; Scarlatti and Meyerbeer at 21 ; Bellini and Wagner at 23 ; Gretry and Massenet at 25 ; Thomas and Verdi 254 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. at 26; Gluck at 28; Gounod at 33; LuUi at 39 ; and Rameau at 50. 259.— SARCASM. Porpora, the most celebrated singing master of all time, lived and flourished in the last century. He it was who had no less a person than young Haydn as pupil, and Haydn paid for his tuition in acting as valet for the tyrannical old teacher. How many students of to-day would black their teacher's shoes to pay for their tuition ? Porpora was very quick of tongue, and he did not spare even his intimate friends and his best pupils. As a specimen of his sarcasm we may quote the following : — He one day visited a certain German monastery, and the monks, being proud of the skill of their organist, beggeid him to stay to service and give them his verdict. He remained, and at the close of the service they were eager to hear his testimony as to the organist's ability. " Well — " began Porpora. " Well," interrupted the prior, " he is a clever man, isn't he ? and likewise a good man, quite pure and simple. " " Oh ! as to his simplicity," Porpora hastened to re- mark — " as to his simplicity, I readily perceived that ; he even carries it so far that his left hand knoweth not what his right hand doeth ! " Alas, poor anecdotes ! How many times they have to do duty in the world. It is not enough to pass through one life, but they must be reincarnated by suc- ceeding story tellers, generation after generation. Or are the musicians to blame ? Is it their lack of original- ity ? Witness the following from a late paper : — " The French composer, Massenet, had accepted an invitation to dinner; the hostess begged him to listen to her daughter's playing. When she had finished, he was, of course, asked for his judgment ; and he, with the earnest face of a weighty critic, declared that the A PRIMA DONNAS PETS. 255 young lady was a perfect Christian. ' Why ? ' ' Because she follows strictly the teaching of the New Testament : ' Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth.' " 260.— A PRIMA DONNA'S PETS. The operatic ladies with high voices — and higher sal- aries — are credited with having more whims and pecu- liarities than other mortals. But along with them must be ranked the gentlemen with the high " C." The prime donne and the primi tenori are the plague of the operatic manager's life. Nearly all of the great sopranos and contraltos have some pet animal that they continually carry with them and on which they lavish their surplus affection. It may be a parrot, a dog, or a monkey, but all the same, it must have the best of care and accommodations. Generally the ladies are satisfied with one or two traveling companions of the animal kind, but lima di Murska was not content with less than a number which would be considered a fair start for a zoological garden. First, there was an immense Newfoundland, who regu- larly had his plate placed at the prima donna's table and dined at her side. Then there was a monkey ; and in order that the proverbial "time" could be had, there were also two parrots. The last member of the aggregation was an Angora cat, and it was between this long-haired beauty and the monkey that the enmity was greatest. The expression " to make the fur fly " could literally be applied to di Murska's caravan. But in spite of the annoyance, the expense, and the trouble with hotel- keepers, she was willing to have it all rather than part, even temporarily, with one of her beloved pets. 256 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. 261.-PAGANINrS METHOD OF STUDY. We can hardly realize at this day of the world the furore created by the marvelous performances of Paga- nini. The gaunt, cadaverous figure, the eccentric poses, the bewitching music, the undreamed-of technic, sec- onded by the terrible tales which had been circulated about his selling his soul to the devil in exchange for his wonderful powers — all this created such an interest and excitement as has hardly been paralleled in musical records. Various fiddlers whom he put sadly in the shade would have almost sold. their souls to have captured the secret of his abilities. One of them went so far as to follow him from place to place, hoping to get an inkling of the magic that Paganini used. This man would even engage an adjoining room at the hotel where Paganini was staying, and kept up an unceasing espionage over the virtuoso, even going to the length of peering through the keyhole of the latter's room. On one occa- sion, when so engaged, he saw Paganini take up his instrument and place it in position as though about to play, but, greatly to his disappointment, not a sound did the player make. He simply moved his left hand up and down the neck for a few moments, as though studying positions, then laid it aside, and that was all. During his youth Paganini was made to practice many hours per day, and the severe training that he was put through at that time, together with his phenomenal genius for his instrument, so settled his technic that it was not necessary for him to keep a severe and ardu- ous course of practice with fixed regularity. Even when rehearsing with the orchestra, beyond a few isolated snatches, more often than not ^^Xzy&A pizzicato, he rarely ever played through those compositions which, at his concerts, delighted and astonished his audiences. But while his technical practice was largely finished GOAT HAIR FOR HERO WORSHIPERS. 257 in his youth, he was throughout his whole life an earnest student. The works which he performed were such as to de- mand constant study, for he constantly added new com- positions to his repertoire, all of which he memorized. He studied them as one would study a poem, commit- ting them to memory line by line and stanza by stanza, thus relieving himself of constant repetitions. He would so impress the notes, dynamic marks, and bowing upon his memory, that when he came to give the work audi- ble expression, it remained only to apply the physical machinery he could so well control to its demonstra- tion. At the proper moment every note appeared in its place with fitting finish and expression, although the artist may not previously have traced the combinations upon his instrument. An active and discriminating intelligence was at the root of all of his musical per- formances. 262.-GOAT HAIR FOR HERO WORSHIPERS. Notwithstanding his gruffness, which frequently be- came out-and-out rudeness, Beethoven was a favorite with such ladies as happened to know him intimately, and many who were deprived of this privilege wor- shiped at a distance. He frequently received requests for a lock of his hair ; in fact, so numerous were they that his tangled locks would have showed a sad decimation had he granted all these requests. Some of his intimate lady friends and pupils were thus highly favored, but others were not so well treated, as the following incident will show. The wife of a Vienna musician, desiring very much to possess one of his shaggy locks, one day induced her husband to ask a friend of the great composer's to in- tercede for her, and procure her the relic she desired. This friend told Beethoven of her wish, but persuaded him to send her a wisp of hair from a goat's beard, 17 258 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. which Beethoven's coarse gray hair nearly resembled. Some time later, when the lady was exhibiting this pecu- liar souvenir as a lock of Beethoven's hair, another friend, who was a party to the joke, acquainted her with the deception. The husband of the hero worshiper wrote a letter to Beethoven charging him with discourtesy and unkind- ness; and Beethoven, feeling ashamed of the trick, wrote a letter of apology to the aggrieved lady, enclos- ing in it a real lock of his hair, and refused to receive further visits from the gentleman who had prompted the deception. 263.— STAGE CENSORSHIP. It seems strange that at this age of the world a com- poser should have to ask the police what characters and incidents he may use in the plot of his opera. Yet within a short time the Italian, Leoncavallo, in putting his "I Medici" on the stage in Vienna, has had to make serious alterations in the text at the " suggestion " of the censor of that city. He had to change a scene in the last act because two priests are there depicted as mur- derers of Gi'uliano Medici. The composer, unwilling to have his work forbidden, replaced the priests by two young courtiers. Also the Credo sung in Latin in a church scene was given with German words, and each time the name of the Pope had to be uttered during the course of the piece a nobleman's name was to be sub- stituted. This reads like the days in 1847, when republican sen- timent was rampant in Italy, and the supervision of what was given to the public in print or on the stage was very strict. When, at that time, Verdi brought out "/ Masnadieri" Schiller's great tragedy of " The Rob- bers" arranged to a string of Italian melodies, he was obliged to cut and slash his libretto in all directions at the bidding of the police authorities for fear there would FALLIBLE. 259 be allowed to remain in the work some reference to liberty or republicanism. The " Masked Ball " was not at first permitted a repre- sentation because it dealt with the assassination of King Gustavus III, of Sweden ; so Verdi offered to turn his king into a duke; but finally, to give satisfaction, he metamorphosed the monarch into the " Governor of Massachusetts " and allowed him to be killed in sedate old Boston ! The tenor, Mario, was to appear in this first presentation, and when he came to don the sombre garb of the Puritan governor, he decidedly objected to its lack of color and ornamentation. So Verdi obligingly al- lowed the sober Puritan to strut the stage in Spanish mantle, high boots, spurs, and a helmet with waving plume! Rossini's " William Tell " has also come under the ban of governmental displeasure in monarchical Europe. At various times the libretto has undergone change for political reasons. At the Royal Opera, Berlin, in 1830, for example, the title " William Tell " was altered to " Andreas Hofer," the hero of the Tyrolese insurrection against the French and Bavarians, who was shot at Mantua in 18 10; while the tyrant Gessler was, of course, replaced by a French general. In Russia the piece was some sixty years ago rechristened " Charles the Bold," and instead of Wil- liam Tell another hero was invented, called Rodolphe Doppelguggel. 264.— FALLIBLE. Here is a little incident that illustrates how great composers are not above the slips made by common mortals, and how human ears are not always as infalli- ble as their owners would pretend them to be. Meyerbeer once went to Stuttgart to conduct the first performance of one of his operas at the court theater. During the rehearsal of the work, he found fault with the clarinet player because he played a certain melody 260 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. on the B flat clarinet when it was written for a clarinet in A. He requested the player to substitute an A clar- inet. The clever performer bent forward and placed the instrument on the rack at his feet, then took it up again, blew through it, as if to warm up another clarinet, and began anew on the same B flat instrument. " Listen, gentlemen, listen," cried Meyerbeer; "there is the A clarinet tone color I had in mind !" 265.-A DRESSING-ROOM WAR. A disturbance took place among some of the promi- nent singers of the Mapleson company at Chicago, in the season of 1879,. that shows the lengths to which selfishness and spite may be carried at the risk of repu- tation. The season was opened by Madame Gerster. On each side of the stage were dressing rooms, and though they were alike in every respect, Gerster happened to choose that on the right-hand side. From this fact that room came to be called the "prima donna's room." On the second night the opera given was Mozart's " Le Nozze di Figaro" in which Mme. Roze and Minnie Hauk took prominent parts. Thinking to secure the prima donna's room for herself. Miss Hauk went to the theater at three o'clock in the afternoon and had her trunks and dresses placed in it. But at four o'clock Mme. Roze's maid, discovering what had been done, told R.oze's husband, and he had Hauk's trunks taken to the opposite room, and his wife's belongings placed in the coveted apartment. An hour or so later, Minnie Hauk's agent happened in to see if things were all right, and found Roze's cos- tumes where Hauk's were supposed to be. So he ordered the baggage reversed andhad a padlock put on the door. When, at six o'clock, Mme. Roze put in an appearance at her dressing-room and found it locked, she secured ARISTOCRATIC PATRONAGE. 26 1 a locksmith, had the door opened, and ousted Hauk's belongings and proceeded to personally occupy the prima donna's room. On Minnie Hauk's coming early, as she supposed, to steal a march on her rival, she found Roze had outwitted her. But one thing was left the fair Minnie to do, and this she did. She went back to her hotel and declared she would not sing a note that night. It was only after the manager and his lawyers had labored with the irate songstress for some two hours that she was finally per- suaded to go back to the theater and assume her part, after the opera was one-third finished. 266.— ARISTOCRATIC PATRONAGE— HAYDN'S FAREWELL. The composers of previous centuries were largely dependent on the patronage of the titled aristocracy for their support. In those times class lines and distinc- tions were drawn closer than to-day. The lower and middle classes were more deficient in education and culture. If a composer did not secure the good will of one or more titled patrons, his works went unperformed and he remained unknown and unappreciated. It was fortunate that the nobility patronized art in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, for, had it been otherwise, many a masterpiece would never have seen the light of day. What the Church did for the arts in the dark ages the nobility did in later times. To-day the artist asks protection of neither Church nor aristocracy. The greatest artists come from the common people — the middle classes — and these same classes do the most to support the artist by admiring, appreciating, and paying for his works. In Europe painters and sculptors still depend to a great extent on the nobility for patronage, as the nobility holds the preponderance of the wealth of that continent. This will be true as long as the poorer classes are kept 262 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. poor by paying to crowned heads such sums as ;^25,ooo per day, the expense of the Czar of Russia, or ^6000 per day, the salary of the German Emperor. But it is not so with music. The musician works for the people. The people of all classes flock to hear his music and appreciate it. It matters not whether the nobility attend. The people see that the composer gets what is due him. In the last century things were different. Handel, Haydn, Mozart, Gluck — all engaged in a scramble for the favors royalty had to bestow. The very constitution of things made this necessary. The composers were poor. The prince was wealthy. Securing the prince's favor meant a pension, a home, an orchestra, a hearing. Without aristocratic patronage all this was lost. Be it said to the credit of good old John Sebastian Bach that he remained true to his allegiance to the Church and its music and sought no favor from king or prince. But Bach died almost a pauper, while his son flourished at court. Even the present century has seen a patronizing mon- arch and a fawning musician. Wagner received un- counted favors at the hands of the mad King of Bavaria, until he almost thought himself a king, and treated his royal patron with base ingratitude. Haydn was for many years at the head of musical matters at Prince Esterhazy's establishment. This liberal and highly educated Hungarian Prince gave him every opportunity for composition, and placed him in a comfortable position of ease and freedom from care or want. But a period of retrenchment set. in, and, as usual, it began to be felt first in musical matters. Haydn was informed that the Prince felt he must give up the orches- tra which he had long maintained. We can imagine that to entirely support a body of twenty-five or thirty men required no small sum. But the cost was much less in that day than in ours. THE HEBREW IN MUSIC. 263 So Haydn set about composing a symphony which was to be played before the Prince and his guests at the last appearance of the orchestra. A brilliant company had assembled. The symphony began. At first the strains were merry ; but ere long they grew more sad and plaintive. A player back in the rear of the band was seen to blow out his candle, take up his instrument, and leave. Soon another did the same. This was unheard of Had all discipline come to an end? But the plaintive strain wails on. More players leave. Finally there remains only the first violinist. His sor- rowful cadences continue for a few moments ; then he, too, follows his brethren. Haydn turns to the Prince, bows his head on his breast, and lays down his baton. This was the " Farewell Symphony." Cried Prince Esterhazy, " What does all this mean ? " " It is our sorrowful farewell," replied the composer. The Prince was overcome, and promised to reconsider his decision. He kept his word ; and Haydn and his whole orchestra were reinstated and remained in the ser- vice of this generous and appreciative friend of art to the day of his death. 267.— THE HEBREW IN MUSIC. Prior to this century we find in musical history no great names of Jewish origin. Doubtless there were many professional musicians of Hebrew origin before the times of .Mendelssohn, Meyerbeer, and Moscheles, but the fact remains that they are the first with Jewish blood in their veins to make a name in the musical world. After these three great " Ms " we find the number continually increasing, and if we subtract from musical literature that which Jewish blood has added, we leave the world much poorer. A brilliant array of Hebrew names is there upon the page of modern music, — Goldmark, Jadassohn, Rubinstein, Cowen, Joachim, 264 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. Wieniawski, Damrosch, Ernst, David, Costa, Hiller, Halevy, and even Offenbach. Truly, an array to be proud of. Among these we find men that have been in the very first rank as composers of symphony, opera, and all other musical forms ; and we also find conduc- tors and performers of almost unexcelled merit. The two great faiths, the Catholic and the Hebrew, have done more for the art than the world is willing to ac- knowledge. 268.— THE STORY OF MOZART'S REQUIEM. Not long before Mozart died he was visited by a tall and dignified stranger, who said he came from a person who did not want his name to be known, but who wished that Mozart should compose a requiem for the soul of a friend recently lost, and whose memory he was desirous of commemorating by this solemn service. Mozart undertook the task, and engaged to have it com- pleted in a month. They arranged the price that was to be paid for the composition, and the stranger paid Mozart a hundred ducats in advance. Mozart was at that time in ill health, and was affected frequently with a deep melancholy. The mystery of this visit seemed to produce a profound effect on his mind, and he brooded over it for some time, and then set to work earne.stly at composition. So intense was the ardor of his application that he was taken with faint- ing spells, and was finally obliged to suspend his work. " I am writing this requiem for myself," he said' one day to his wife ; " it will serve for my own funeral service." At the end of the month the stranger appeared and asked for his requiem. " I have found it impossible," said Mozart, " to keep my word ; the work has interested me more than I ex- pected, and I have extended it beyond my first design. I shall require another month to finish it." The myste- rious stranger made no objection, but, saying that Mo- LISZT's reply to LOUIS PHILIPPE. 265 zart should be compensated for his extra work, he laid down fifty ducats on the table and departed, promising to return at the end of another month. Mozart sent a servant to follow his visitor and, if possible, to find out who he was, but the servant lost sight of him. More than ever persuaded that his visitor was a mes- senger from the other world sent to warn him that his end was approaching, Mozart applied himself with fresh zeal to the requiem, and, in spite of his exhaustion of body and mind, he completed it before the end of the month. At the appointed day the stranger came for the work and received it, but the composer's work on earth was finished. Later investigation proved that the visitor was the servant of a certain nobleman, who wished in this man- ner to obtain a composition which he could pass off as his own work, written by himself, and dedicated to his wife's memory ; and for many years the fraud remained undiscovered. 269.— LISZT'S REPLY TO LOUIS PHILIPPE. In Liszt's essay on " The Position of an Artist in France," he scored King Louis Philippe and his admin- istration quite severely on their niggardly appropriations for music. Ever after that he avoided meeting the king and declined to play at the Tuileries. But some time afterward he came face to face with His Majesty at an exhibition, and the king engaged him in conversa- tion. Liszt could not escape, but only answered with a bow and " Yes, Sire." " Do you remember," said the king at last, " that you played at my house when you were but a boy and I Duke of Orleans ? Much has changed since then." " Yes," Liszt burst forth, " but not for the better." The result of this reply was that when the roll of 266 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. names for the cross of the Legion of Honor was sent to the king, he drew his pen through the name of Franz Liszt. 270.-JENNY LIND'S GENEROSITY, During Jenny Lind's wonderful career, her name be-' came a synonym for generosity. This most talented singer probably gave more money to the cause of charity than any other two singers on record, and the singers of all ages have been proverbially lavish with their gifts. In 1849, while singing in Germany, she signed a con- tract with P. T. Barnum, the great showman, for a series of one hundred and fifty concerts in America, at a rate of one thousand dollars per night and all expenses. The tour was to begin the next year. The intervening time she spent in England and on the Continent, and the proceeds of all the concerts given that year she devoted to charitable uses. When she arrived in New York in 1850, the people were crazy to see and hear this wonderful "Swedish Nightingale." Mr. Barnum had stirred up curiosity in the manner for which he was celebrated, and the " Lind fever " raged as strong in this country as it had pre- viously in England. On her arrival she was greeted by a crowd of thirty thousand people and serenaded by a band of one hundred and fifty instruments. On the day of her first concert, five thousand people stood in the rain to buy tickets, and the first one was sold to an en- terprising hatter for six hundred dollars. The proceeds of this first concert, which was attended by seven thou- sand people, were twenty-six thou.sand dollars. It is said that her share was ten thousand dollars, every cent of which she gave to benevolent societies of New York city. Her charitable gifts on this American tour were numerous, amounting to fifty thousand dollars. In Ger- many she had previously scattered thirty thousand florins and in England some sixty thousand pounds in charity. BEETHOVEN, BRAIN-OWNER. 267 Having a difficulty with Mr. Barnum, she paid a for- feit to him of thirty thousand dollars and gave the last sixty concerts of the series on her own management. In 1852, in the city of Boston, she was married to Otto Goldschmidt, her accompanist, and the same year they returned to England, where this fambus singer retired to private life. Besides the fifty thousand dollars given in charity, she had received in America one hundred and fifty thousand dollars, and this latter sum she devoted to charities and educational uses in her native country of Sweden. The whole sum of her beneficences has been estimated at half a million of dollars. ■271.— BEETHOVEN, BRAIN-OWNER. Beethoven's relatives have not come down to us lauded as examples of sobriety or kindliness. His brother, Johann, was in many ways the opposite of the composer. Ludwig van Beethoven was possessed of genius, Johann had none; Ludwig had little of this world's goods, Johann had considerable; Ludwig had knowledge in- stead of business talent, while Johann could turn what he touched into gold and despised his brother's lack of money making. But with all this, the world worships at Ludwig's shrine and has no cause to remember that Johann ever lived. Johann used to delight in refreshing his brother's memory as to his success in life — a proceeding which we may imagine did not add to the musician's sweetness of temper. On one occasion, however, Ludwig rather got the upper hand of his purse-proud brother, but we may question whether the latter saw the point. Johann having purchased a piece of land, felt rather elated at being a landlord, and sent to his brother on New Year's a card with his name inscribed : — " Johann van Beethoven, Land-owner." 268 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. On receiving it, the composer snatched it up and has- tily wrote on the back of the card: — " Ludwig van Beethoven, Brain-owner" and sent it back to his proud relative. 272. -SCHUBERT'S MODESTY. True worth is always modest. This was especially seen, among the great composers, in the case of Franz Schubert. A characteristic bit of his modesty we find in the account of his first meeting with Beethoven. Grove tells us of this meeting in these words : — " Beethoven was at home, and we know the somewhat overwhelming courtesy with which he welcomed a stranger. Schubert was bashful and retiring, and when the great man handed him paper and pencil provided for the replies of visitors, Schubert could not collect himself sufficiently to write a word. Then Schubert pro- duced some variations which he had enthusiastically dedi- cated to Beethoven, and this added to Beethoven's good humor. The master "opened them and looked through them, and seeing something which startled him, natu- rally pointed it out. At this Schubert's last remnant of self-control deserted him and he rushed from the room. When he got into the street and was out of the magic of Beethoven's personality, his presence of mind re- turned, and all that he might have said flashed upon .him, but it was too late." 273.— OUR MUSICAL ADVANCEMENT. But few of the great composers have heard their works given with such completeness and skill as they can be given to-day. Wagner was of course an excep- tion to this rule. In our day, while the voices may not be better they are used in more massive combinations, and the orchestral instruments have been improved by modern skill. But of course the stringed instruments HONEST OPINIONS. 269 are an exception to this rule. The organs of to-day are larger and have a more flexible action and greater varieties of tone color than in the time of Bach. The piano of to-day has a much greater volume of tone and an increased compass over the piano of Beethoven's time. In the field of choral music the choruses have! been largely augmented, though, to be sure, a large' chorus does not always promise the best results in shad- ing and promptitude. Handel heard no such choruses give his oratorios as we may hear sing them to-day. When "The Messiah" was first given in Dublin the chorus consisted simply of the choirs at the two cathe- dral churches. And if Dean Swift had been sane in 1742 it is doubtful whether Handel would have been allowed the use of St. Patrick's choir, for in 1741 the great Dean addressed an exhortation to the Sub-Dean and Chapter, commenting on the conduct of certain members of the choir for " singing and fiddling at a club of fid- dlers." The choruses that took part in the performance of Handel's oratorios during his lifetime numbered less than 100 singers. The chorus brought together for the great commemoration performances in Westminster Abbey and in the Pantheon in 1784 was made up of about 275 singers, and yet its size was the astonishment of the contemporaneous musical world. What would the musicians and public of that day have said to a chorus of five or six thousand singers, such as are now frequently gathered together ? 274.-HONEST OPINIONS. Professional musicians often have questions pro- pounded to them that are quite hard to answer, and occasionally some to which, were the truth answered, the reply would not be particularly enjoyed by the ques- tioner. Very frequently some fond mamma brings her aspiring daughter, who, by the way, hardly knows the 270 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. difference between the manipulation of the piano and that of the bass drum.-and seeks to be told that her fair offspring is an incipient Clara Schumann or Fannie Bloomfield, and only needs a few suggestions from a teacher to be ready to take the concert stage. Or, perhaps the fair damsel has succeeded in singing the first ten, bars of "Bel Raggio " and can sing ," Home, Sweet Home " (a la Patti) without getting off the pitch more than five times. The aspiring mater insists that the daughter has a heavenly voice and remarkable talent, and will surely be able to graduate next year, and pos- sibly this year, if the teacher is propitious. And she feels personally insulted if the teacher ventures to offer the information that even the first principles of correct breathing are unknown, — that the tones are throaty and not " placed " at all, — that her daughter has to have a thing taught to her by hearing it (like a parrot), and can- not read two consecutive measures correctly, — and that it is necessary to have at least a majority of the not-es in tune ; but when he adds that it will take two or more years to complete the purely theoretical part of the musical education, the pair take their departure in angry haste and declare that they will go to some teacher who knows a little something about music, and who will at least not insult defenseless ladies who call upon him with the most honorable of intentions. It would save trouble, though it might lose the teacher an occasional pupil, if he were always to be as honest as was the great French teacher and composer, Cherubini. One day he was appealed to by a singer, a man with a tremendous voice, to tell him what art he had better follow, — if he had not better become a singer. Cheru- bini at once asked him to sing, whereupon he opened his mouth and the foundations well nigh trembled with his bellowing. " What shall I become ? " he asked, when he had finished. " An auctioneer," laconically answered the master. The singer fled. THE MODERN TENDENCY. 27 1 275.— THE MODERN TENDENCY. The modern tendency is to do away with the lengthy repetitions which characterized the music of the old classic school. Quite a number of the standard com- positions of that epoch are subject to a pruning-down process when given a modern hearing. Whole acts of some of the longer operas are frequently omitted, such as " Roberto "and " L'Africaine " of Meyerbeer, and in others some of the longer-winded parts are excised in per- formance. Wagner's " Lohengrin " is treated to this kind of a pruning, and the day will doubtless come when this same process will be used in his later works. The gen- eral opera-going public, outside of a certain circle of enthusiasts, do not care to hear operas four and five hours long, or a series of operas that, to complete, one must hear three or four presentations. The day of the bulky three-volumed novel is past. The " Messiah " is so generally " cut " that we might say it is never given in its entirety. Even with a dozen numbers omitted it takes some two hours to give this great oratorio. In it, also, a majority of the long repeats are omitted. Beethoven felt this spirit dawning even in his day and was inclined to meet it half way. To the opera of " Leonore " he wrote four different overtures before he was satisfied. In the second of these, of which there are two manuscripts in e istence, there are many exci- sions, some of them being ten, fifteen, or twenty meas- ures in length. Had some other and lesser lights sub- mitted their music to this same pruning operation, their works would be more frequently heard and stand higher in the estimation of the musical public. 272 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. 276.-FUGUES AND CHESS. Many are the musical prodigies who come before the public, though but few of them reach the great heights of musicianship of which they, in their youth, give prom- ise. Handel, Mozart, and Liszt fulfilled the expectations aroused by their youthful feats. Among those whose fame was not so great was Walter Parratt, who was knighted by Queen Victoria. He played the organ in a Yorkshire church when only seven years old. At ten he performed all of Bach's forty-eight preludes and fugues without the music be- fore him, and in later life he accomplished the extraor- dinary feat of playing, blindfolded, three games of chess and one of Bach's fugues at the same time, manipulating the keys of the organ and calling out his moves on the chess-board simultaneously. 277.— FORTUNES IN FIDDLES. The prices set on their instruments by the makers of them, the appreciation in value, and the immense sums now demanded for the works of the old masters, forms a most interesting topic, to which, however, we can give but short space. Stradivarius received for each violin four Louis d' or, and these same instruments would to-day mount into the thousands of dollars in value. His violoncellos he sold for a larger sum. Stradivarius' instruments were not appreciated in their earlier days in England, for it is related that a merchant named Cervetto took some " Strad " 'cellos to England and put them on sale, but not being able to get five pounds apiece for them he sent them back to Italy as a bad investment. They would now bring several thousands of dollars each. While his 'cellos were thus lightly valued in England in those days, we find a Cremona violin selling in 1662 for ^100. FORTUNES IN FIDDLES. 2/3 A " Strad " 'cello which had been played by three gen- erations of the Servais family, brought $25,000 when placed on sale a few years ago in Vienna. The phrase, " worth its weight in gold," may well be applied to such transactions. On weighing a Stradi- varius violin sold in 1856, it was found to have brought $200 an ounce. The great bass player, Dragonetti, had a celebrated Stradivarius double-bass which he valued at $5,000. It would now probably bring three times that amount. In 1 7 16 Stradivarius made a violin, which in 1760 he sold to a Count Salabue, after whose death in 1824 it was purchased by Tarisio, the peripatetic violin collec- tor. He kept the treasure hidden, but after his death it was ferreted out by VuiUaume who, in turn, on his death, left it to his son-in-law, Alard, the violinist. A few years ago it was sold to a Scotch violin collector for $10,000. Madame Norman-Neruda gave $10,000 for one "Strad" which had belonged to Ernst, and Wil- helmji, paid $15,000 for another, for which he was after- ward offered $25,000. Stradivarius' is not alone in bringing high sums. Amati's and Guarnerius' instruments have had a similar appreciation in value. In 1790 Foster, the English in- st;j-ument dealer, sold a Nicholas Amati for $85, and in 1804 another for $150. These would now bring from $1000 to $1500 each. In 1827 one of his 'cellos sold for $1400, and in 1859 a violin by the brothers Amati brought $700. It may be imagined that some of the fiddles of Guarnerius " del Jesu " brought him originally but a pittance ; but in 1826 we hear of one of his 'cellos bringing $600. Wieniawski's Guarnerius was sold to Hubey, of Brussels, for $15,000, and Ferdinand David's favorite instrument, a Guarnerius, was bought by Zajic, of the Strasburg Conservatory, for $20,000. General Morgan Melville, of Cincinnati, related that his father, who, by the way, was an aide-de-camp to La Fayette, gave 1500 acres of land, then valued at a dollar 18 274 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. per acre, for a Stainer violin that took his fancy. This was quite a fair price in those days, but the value of the payment would be somewhat enhanced now by the fact that this land is at present covered by the city of Pitts- burg. As Stainer rarely received large sums for his violins, that one would have been a good investment could the original purchaser have waited two hundred and twenty-five years to realize on his investment. 278.— ONE KIND OF CRITICISM. Cherubini was able to make use of a species of crit- icism that was pointed enough, and yet was of a kind that could give no one excuse for blaming his sharpness of tongue. When a disagreeable topic was introduced or when that was brought to his notice that he felt de- served his condemnation, he retired into silence and could not be persuaded to open his mouth on the subject. Halevy was a favorite pupil of this celebrated French composer, and on one occasion asked the old master to go with him to hear one of Halevy's operas. At the end of the first act he asked Cherubini how he liked it. No reply. At the end of the second act he repeated his questiqji with more emphasis. Still no reply. " Will you not give me an answer ? " Cherubini was still silent. Halevy then became so enraged that he got up and left the box, muttering indignation at his teacher's sit- ting there for two hours without deigning to say a word. Afterward a reconciliation was effected and Cherubini was prevailed upon to point out those points in the opera that caused him to make such a severe, though such a silent, criticism. Cherubini might, in this re- spect, serve for a model for the numerous musical critics who afflict their friends and the public with their unedu- cated inanities. He was silent because he knew so much. They are verbose because they know so little. MUSICAL COOKS. 275 279.— MUSICAL COOKS. Curious stories have come down to us as to the idio- syncrasies of many a noted musician ; but we have not elsewhere had occasion to note one peculiar enjoyment that several of them have taken in an occupation that is not generally supposed to give great pleasure to the average man. We refer to the art of cooking. Not a musical art, certainly, but one deprived of which we might hardly relish even a Beethoven symphony. Lulli was an accomplished cook and used frequently to return to the instruments of his early days, i. e., pots and kettles. For his original occupation was that of cook's assistant. From him, considering his early train- ing, we might certainly expect musical pot-pourris. Then there were the Italian musicians Rossini and Paganini. They each enjoyed dabbling in the regions where the cook is supposed to have full sway. The violinist especially was fond of this occupation and turned it to good account when in later years he became so miserly. We may well suppose that neither of them (being Italian) was forgetful of the odoriferous little plant called garlic, in the preparation of their artistic dishes. And then the greatest musician to cook, if not the greatest cook among musicians, was Beethoven. He had an idea that no one could prepare his food quite as well as he could himself It is probable that he had a good deal of experience at it, perhaps more than he really wanted at times. For his treatment of his ser- vants was^so peculiar that it was seldom one would stay with him for any length of time. Part of his culinary arrangements Beethoven determined with mathematical accuracy A friend once -found him counting coffee grains, and on inquiring the reason for the seemingly absurd occupation he was informed that sixty grains was just the right number to produce the best possible cup of coffee. 276 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. 280.— ARTISTIC PRIDE. Musical artists have a proper pride as to circum- stances and surroundings in tiieir public appearances. In former days the musician was content to be a servant, to eat at second tables^ and to be railed off from the aristocracy that boasted money instead of brains. Now- adays things have changed and a musician's art is the " open sesame " to the high places of the earth. There is an aversion on the part of a true artist toward appear- ing amid other than dignified surroundings. This was shown not many years ago in Vienna, where there were being given a series of symphony concerts at popular prices ; the listeners were seated at tables where refreshments, solid and liquid — more particularly the latter — were served. At each of these concerts some well-known composer has conducted one or more of his own compositions. Tschaikowsky was also in- vited to direct one of the series, but hearing that popular prices were charged and the hall resembled a restaurant he refused to assist at the concert, for which the cele- brated Russian pianist, Sapellnikow, was also engaged to play. So, after having traveled for these concerts all the way from St. Petersburg to Vienna, he packed his valise and returned to Russia. 281.-BEETHOVEN'S FRIENDS. Beethoven was fortunate in finding friends during all of his career who would humor his caprices and could understand his whims. When quite young he lost his mother, and this was a great blow to the loving son. Beethoven looked upon his mother as his dearest and best friend. After her death he wrote : " Who was happier than I while I could yet pronounce the sweet name of mother? There was once some one to hear me when I said ' mother.' But to BEETHOVEN S FRIENDS. 2// whom can I address that name now ? Only to the silent pictures of her which my fancy paints." Fortunately he found a second mother in Mrs. Breuning, in whose house at Bonn he soon came to be regarded as one of the children. He spent the greater part of every day with the Breuning family, who were, as Schindler says, his guardian angels, and his friendship with whom was never interrupted for a moment during his whole life. Soon after his arrival in Vienna Beethoven was for- tunate enough to make the acquaintance of the Prince and Princess Lichnowsky, who seem at once to have taken the young musician to their hearts, and who treated him almost like an adopted son. The Prince gave him an allowance of 600 florins, while the Princess did her best to spoil him — finding everything that the young man did or left undone, right, clever, original, and amia- ble. In later years Beethoven, when speaking of these good friends, said : "They would have brought me up with grandmotherly fondness, which was carried to such a length that very often the Princess was on the point of having a glass shade made to put over me so that no unworthy person might touch or breathe upon me." The Lichnowskys do not appear to have been alone in this treatment of the young composer, for we are told that his eccentricities met with indulgence and even ad- miration from high and low, and that there was a time when the name Beethoven had become a general pass- word to which everybody gave way. But Beethoven's friends had much to suffer from his suspicious disposition. When the Ninth symphony was produced, in 1824, it was given with great success, but the receipts were painfully meagre. Beethoven, as usual, accused his friends of defrauding him. Six months later he saw his error and begged Schindler and Duport to forgive him. He was extremely suspi- cious, and at times would not trust his best friends. But when convinced of his wrong, he would try to make peace in so hearty a manner that they would forgive 2/8 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. every insult and vexation they had received at his hands. In a repentant note to Schindler, after one of these out- bursts, he says : — " What an abominable picture of myself you have shown me ! I am not worthy of your friendship. I did not meditate a base action ; it was thoughtlessness which urged me to my unpardonable conduct toward you. I fly to you, and in an embrace ask for my lost friend ; and you will restore him to me, — to your con- trite, faithful, and loving friend, Beethoven." 282.— PROLIFIC COMPOSERS. If it is true that of the making of books there is no end, it would seem to the student of musical history that the same might be said of operas. Nearly every young composer, at one time or other in his career, feels called upon to inflict an opera on an already long- suffering world. But we should not object to this, for it does the composer " a power o' good," and doesn't harm the world any, for but a small percentage of the operas ever reach the point of a public presentation. It will be noticed in the following list that the com- posers most celebrated for the value of their operas are not those who turned out the largest number. A great work must naturally represent a great brain, and long and intense application of it. It is not to be expected that he who does twenty things should do them as well, as he who does two. So, other things being equal, we would naturally expect greater works where there has not been such a continuous flow of them. Perhaps the composer most prolific of operas was Reinhart Keiser, who has 120 to his credit, although one authority claims that Piccinni wrote 133 operas. Alessandro Scarlatti composed 115 ; Pacini and Piccinni each 80; Donizetti, 70; Mercadante, 60; Auber, 50; Handel, 43; Coccia, 40; Rossini, 39; Halevy, 32; Verdi, 29; Ricci, 28; Haydn, 24; Mozart, 23; Meyer- MUSIC FOR THE EYE. 2/9 beer, 15; Gounod, 13; Wagner, 13; and Bellini, 10; while from Beethoven's colossal mind there came but one lone opera. 283.-MUSIC FOR THE EYE. Composers get queer ideas into their heads sometimes. Some think they can represent storms and battles in music ; but they always take pains to tell one in plain type just what is supposed to be going on, thus showing the inadequacy of music to depict concrete ideas. One old composer, Kuhnau, undertook to illustrate the Bible by clavichord sonatas, but it is not recorded that he made any converts to religion thereby or that his exegesis was satisfactory to the theologians. Another, Matheson, Handel's rival, undertook to represent a rainbow when setting music to the words, " And there was a rainbow round the throne." He made the notes on the full score look like an arch beginning and ending in the low double bass notes, the apex being in the piccolo part. While this might give a faint idea of a rainbow to the eye, we doubt if it would to the ear. 284.— SCHUMANN'S MADNESS. The border-land between great genius and insanity is narrower than we sometimes realize. Some of the great minds in the music life have passed over the dividing line ; some have come back to a correct mental balance, but others suffered this mental affliction until relieved by the Grim Reaper. It is not generally known that Hans von Bulow spent some time in an asylum. But such was the case, and the rest and quiet restored his tired and slightly unbalanced mind to its usual strength. Next to Beethoven in intensity of thought and feeling, stands Robert Schumann. It was perhaps the continual habit of mental concentration and overtaxing his physi- 280 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. cal and mental energies that hastened the painful malady that caused his death. Some twelve years before this occurred, he began to be afflicted with excruciating pains in the head, sleeplessness, and other troubles caused by a disarrangement of the mental and nervous systems, such as fear of death and strange auricular delusions. A visit to Italy and its relaxation from work gave him some relief and he returned to Germany ; and during the three years that followed he penned some of his finest works, such as his Second symphony, " The Rose's Pilgrimage" and music to Byron's "Manfred." For eight years after this Italian journey Schumann was con- tinually occupied with composition and directing con- certs, but during the latter part of this period the pain in his head had so increased. as to make him unaccount- able for his actions. In fact, at one time in 1854, he attempted to end his life by jumping into the river Rhine. The malady now seized him with a grasp that was loosened only for short intervals. In spite of the loving care of Madame Schumann, who was a celebrated pianiste and one of the ablest exponents of his works, this great composer was obliged to end his days, in 1856, in a private insane asylum near Bonn, the birth-place of Beethoven. 285.— HUMOR IN COMPOSITION. We are told that " all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy," or something to that effect. The famous composers evidently believed this, for not only do we find in some of their serious works comical touches, but several of them, and those the greatest, too, have written works that are entirely humorous in their character. Of the comical touches we might mention the three bassoon notes in Beethoven's Sixth, or Pastoral, sym- phony. Here we might imagine some old bassoonist HUMOR IN COMPOSITION. 28 1 seated on a cask, playing the only tones that can be gotten out of his dilapidated instrument, while the village rustics join in a clumsy dance. Then, too, there is that unmis- takable bray which Mendelssohn associates (a good word in this case) with " Bottom " in his " Midsummer Night's Dream " music, and there are also the antics of the music to accompany the entrance of the clowns in the same composition. We would hardly expect to find anything humorous coming from that old periwig, Sebastian Bach. Yet Bach has left us two cantatas, entitled " The Peasant's Cantata " and " The Coffee Party," in which he is sup- posed to be very funny. But the humor is so artistically concealed — shall we say — in florid counterpoint that to our non-appreciative ears it would sound more like a fugue from the " Well-Tempered Clavichord " than a side-splitting farce. But then perhaps the humor of that day had to have its cantifermi, counter subjects and episodes. Haydn's humor was more pointed and sudden, espe- cially in the " Surprise " symphony, when an explosive sfz — -fortissimo occurs in 2. pianissimo passage. The " Toy" symphony, too, has a decided humorous side. Then there is a composition for instruments called " A Musical Joke," wherein he parodies the attempt of an uneducated composer to write a symphony. We may once find even Beethoven writing a comic song. He must then have been in a thoroughly " un- buttoned " mood, as he used to express it, especially as the song had fourteen verses. In his Op., 129, Bee- thoven vents his " fury over a lost groschen " in a beau- tiful rondo. Wagner used many a comic touch in his " Mastersing- ers of Nuremburg," but it is done with the most artistic musical means and the deftest of touch, forming some of the most delicious musical humor ever written. He also wrote a burlesque work entitled "A Capitulation." An instance of neat humor is Gounod's popular little 282 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. " Funeral March of a Marionette," too familiar to re- quire any explanation further than to say it depicts the breaking of a Marionette and the subsequent lamenta- tions of the troupe as they bear it to the grave. It is, after a fashion, a musical Humpty-Dumpty. Another instance is the chorus of students in Berlioz's " Damna- tion of Faust," who sing an elaborate chorus in the form of fugue, the entire development being wrought out on the word "amen." It was Berlioz's idea in this to ridi- cule the method and pedantry of the old school, just as Wagner had done in his " Meistersinger." In Schu- mann's " Children's Album" there are several charming instances of musical humor, the " Don't Frighten Me " and " The Bear Dance " recalling themselves to our memory specially. Indeed, with only a little investiga- tion into musical literature, one might make out quite a long list of examples of this kind. A modern example of real humor is a composition by Dr. J. K. Paine, America's greatest native composer. In this he exploits the virtues of a certain patent medi- cine, prominent before the public some years ago, and tells all about the virtues of Radway's Ready Relief to a musical setting that is of the most musicianly charac- ter. The text is simply an old newspaper advertisement of the patent medicine. These utterly prosaic words are set for four-part male chorus and bass recitative. The certificate from the rheumatic sufferer is given to a dramatic agitato movement, and the price of the medicine is heralded in learned counterpoint. The music cleverly takes off both the Handelian contrapuntal and the modern romantic styles, the burlesque solemnity of the writ- ing being infinitely comic, the whole ending with a side- splitting parody on the Finale to " Egmont," and not forgetting the little shrieks of the piccolo (the only instrument employed). The very excellences of the writing and the purity of the musical form add an ele- ment of ludicrousness to what altogether affords one of the best instances of the composer at play, but not for- getting his erudition in his humor. haydn's last appearance. 283 286.-HAYDN'S LAST APPEARANCE. Haydn was a very religious man, and at the same time conscientious and modest. That he recognized the source of his musical talent and rendered unto God the things that are God's, is shown in the following in- cident : — In 1808, shortly before Haydn's death, a grand per- formance of his oratorio of the " Creation " took place in Vienna. Haydn was present, an old man of seventy- six years. He was so feeble as to be wheeled into the theater in a chair. This was the last time that the ven- erable composer made his appearance in public, and then it was only as a listener, his age and state of health precluding any active performance. The audience greeted the old man with great enthu- siasm, and when, in the course of the work, the orches- tra and chorus arrived at the place where there is a sudden change from the minor to the major, at the words "And there was light," they created a tumult of applause. The old composer struggled to his feet, and mustering up all his strength cried in reply to the applause of the audience, in as loud a tone as he was able : — " No, no ! not from me, but from thence, from heaven above, comes all !" at the same time pointing upward. He fell back in his chair exhausted by the excitement, and was hastily removed to his home, never again to come before his beloved Austrian public. 287.— THE HEROIC IN MUSIC. Beethoven recognized in Napoleon Bonaparte some traits of character that were natural to his own rugged and world-defying disposition. In order to testify to his admiration for what he considered the heroic ele- 284 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. ments of Napoleon's character, the great composer dedi- cated to him one of his greatest symphonies. This symphony, Number 3, Opus 55, has been re- garded by some as " an attempt to draw a musical por- trait of a historical character, — a great statesman, a great general, a noble individual ; to represent in music, Beet- hoven's language, what Thiers has given in words, and Delaroche in painting." One writer has said of this symphony : "It wants no title to tell its meaning, for throughout the symphony the hero is visibly portrayed." Such views as these concerning any music are rather far-fetched. We doubt if this same writer would have associated a hero with this symphony on his first hearing of it if he had not previously been educated to the fact that it represented the heroic in music. If a hero can be pictured in music, so can a scoundrel ; if these, then a saint, a sinner. However, if the hint is given, then we can see mas- siveness and strength in .the music that we may parallel in our own minds to our ideal of a hero. But without this hint, this massiveness and grandeur may just as well portray a chain of lofty mountains rearing their snow- capped tops in majesty above the surrounding scene. We doubt if Beethoven intended or expected his music to represent to the hearer a concrete hero. When he wished concrete images to come to the mind of his hearers he did not depend on music to fulfil this errand, so foreign to its mission, but wrote, in so many words, the scene or idea that he wished to be in the listener's mind as he heard the music. For proof of this see the annotations affixed to the various movements of the " Pastoral " (sixth) symphony, and, somewhat similar, the " Farewell, Absence and Return" sonata. But, undoubtedly, as much of the heroic as can be expressed in music, Beethoven has given us in this " Heroic" symphony. Xt is not a hero, but the heroic, that he portrayed, that he could portray in music ; the large, the grand, the massive. A PECULIAR VISITING CARD. 285 Then, the natural thing to do was to dedicate it to the man that filled in his mind at that time the niche of hero. That happened to be Napoleon I. The original score had been sent to the French am- bassador to be forwarded to France (and much Napo- leon would have cared for it had he ever received it !), when one day in came Ferdinand Ries, a pupil of Bee- thoven, and told the news that Napoleon had taken the title of " Emperor " and had crowned himself Emperor of the French. When Beethoven heard this, he started up in a rage, seized his copy of the " Heroic " symphony and, tearing off the title page with the dedication thereon, he threw it on the floor, exclaiming : " After all, he is nothing but an ordinary mortal. He, too, will trample the rights of men under foot ! " From that time till Napoleon's death at St. Helena Beethoven never spoke of his hero; but when that event occurred he said : " I have already composed music for this calamity," referring to the " Funeral IVTarch " in this symphony. Meanwhile he changed the dedication of the work, making it read " Heroic Symphony, composed to celebrate the memory of a great man. Dedicated to His Serene Highness Prince Lobkowitz, by Louis van Beethoven." 288.— A PECULIAR VISITING CARD. In Haydn's old age he resided in quiet repose at his villa at Grumpendorff, near Vienna. When he wished to remind some old friend of his uncertain health and of his still lingering on this planet, he would send him one of his cards, on which was engraved a passage from the close of his last quartet. The music consisted of but a dozen notes of melody ; but the rhythm was halt- ing and the ending had no cadence. It was well suited to the words he had added underneath, which ran : — " Hin ist alle meine kraft, Alt und schwach bin ich." 286 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. Which may be translated, " All my strength has left me, Old and weak am I." 289.— ORIGIN OF THE NAME " KREUTZER SONATA." The great composers frequently dedicated their works to friends or patron princes whose names are known to us only by this fact of their appearing on the title pages of some masterpiece. Sometimes, musicians who were famous in their own day have had their very names forgotten in our times, were it not that some such dedication keeps their memory alive. So it was with Rudolph Kreutzer, once a famous vio- linist and composer. To him Beethoven dedicated his great sonata for violin and piano. Opus 47, the sonata universally known as the " Kreutzer Sonata." But it was only an accident and a whim of the com- poser's that gave Kreutzer this celebrity. Beethoven had intended to dedicate this sonata to Bridgetower, a young violinist of his day, and, by the way, a native of Africa. But before the sonata was published Beethoven and Bridgetower quarreled over a very commonplace subject,?', e., a young lady. As a result, the friendship was broken off and Bridge- tower's name erased from the title page and that of Kreutzer substituted. But the peculiar part of it is that Beethoven is said to have known Kreutzer but slightly, and more than that, never to have seen him ! 290.— ROYAL MUSICIANS. Music has had its votaries among the crowned heads of all ages. None of them have achieved great fame, however, as composers or performers, as distinct from their royal positions. Were it not for their exalted station, we should never have heard of their accomplishments. ROYAL MUSICIANS. 287 It is fame enough to be a prince or king without being a musician ! If we delved among the records of the ancient Greeks and Romans we might find many a monarch who was celebrated for his flute playing or his singing. We know that these personages were excellent performers, for did they not win all the contests into which they entered, even when their opponents were the principal musicians of their countries ? In fact, the continuation of the good health of the opponent required that the emperor should be victor. We have all read the old story of how Nero fiddled while Rome burned. This is a very respectable and antique myth ; for there are no records of any kind to show that the Romans knew or practiced the use of the bow — save to slay their enemies. No doubt the fiddle that Nero played on was a flute, that is, if he played at all on the occasion of that historical illumination. Coming down to more modern times and less san- guinary musicians, we find the Emperor Charles the Fifth, of France, to have been quite a music critic (though that does not necessarily imply great musical erudition). His namesake, the Emperor Charles the Sixth of Austria was endowed with musical abilities of a very high order. So discriminating was his knowledge of musical worth, that Farinelli, the greatest singer of all Europe at that time, said that the Emperor gave him musical instruction that was " of more use to him than all the precepts of his masters or the examples of his rivals." The idea that this royal teacher advanced was that a more simple and less exaggerated style would reach the heart quicker than all the long notes, roulades, and tours deforce that the singer could use. King Henry VIII, he of frequent marriages, was re- garded in his day as " extremely skilled in musical art " and as " acquitting himself divinely." He was quite a singer and played the organ, harpsichord, and lute. Besides this, he was a poet, and frequently set his verses 288 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. to music. There are still in existence two services of his composition for the royal chapel. Good Queen Bess and the unfortunate Mary, Queen of Scots, were both excellent performers on the virgi- nal. Mary's ambassador at the court of Elizabeth one day heard her playing, and the Queen, discovering him, required his opinion as to which was the better player, she or his royal mistress. This inquiry placed the poor fellow " 'twixt the devil and the deep sea," as Queen Bess's temper was none of the most pacific, and of course he must not disparage his own Queen. But, courtier- like, he complimented them both and came out with flying colors. Leopold I, of Germany, was an ardent lover of good music and kept up an orchestra that was regarded as being remarkable in its general ensemble. His love for music manifested itself up to the hour of his death. Feeling his end to be near, he sent for his band of players and ordered them. to play a symphony. They obeyed, and the monarch expired with a full orchestral accompaniment, a la opera. Frederic the Great was a fine flute player as well as having a large collection of harpsichords, spinets, and the like. So many flutes did he have that it required one man's time to keep them in good condition. This royal amateur had one good point. He considered it a disgrace to play a wrong note, and would never under- take a composition till he had shut himself up alone and practiced it for hours. Oh, for more of the kind ! Emanuel Bach held the position of accompanist to Frederic the Great, and his especial duty was to accom- pany on the harpsichord as the king played his beloved flute. This monarch combined a musical appreciation with the strictness of a military martinet. He would sta- tion himself in the pit behind the conductor, so as to have a full view of the score. In this position he would fre- quently usurp the conductor's duties ; and if a mistake were committed on the stage or in the orchestra, he ROYAL MUSICIANS. 289 would rebuke the offender on the spot. And if any of the singers ventured to alter a single passage he was reminded that he change'd the notes at his peril, and that he had better adhere to the composer's intentions. Queen Victoria was, in her youthful days, an excellent pianiste and vocalist. Mendelssohn relates that on visit- ing England he was entertained by the Queen and Prince Consort at Buckingham Palace, and that the Queen sang some of his songs with charming expression and feeling. Says he, " I praised her heartily and with the best con- science in the world." Prince Albert was himself an excellent organist and Mendelssohn leaves record that "his playing would have done credit to any professional." He was also a composer of no mean ability. The Duke of Edinburg and Saxe-Coburg-Gotha has inherited his father's talent and is quite proficient as a violinist. He has appeared frequently in public both as a violinist and as an orchestral conductor. He is really possessed of much talent, although some of the Liberal papers delight to speak in a sneering way of the " royal f=iddler." The present Princess of Wales has had the degree of Doctor of Music conferred upon her by one of the great English universities, although it was evidently a matter of honoring royalty more than one of honoring a musician. The royal family of Germany is also quite musical. The recent emperors have had considerable musical training and old Emperor William had been known to take the baton and conduct a military band, in this way securing a performance to his liking. The present Emperor, William II, is much of a musician and has even published a few compositions in march and song style. In one of his recent compositions both words and music are from the royal pen. 19 290 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. 291.— A CHARITABLE TRIO. One night near the middle of this century, three lively young students were strolling along a Paris boulevard in quest of exercise and recreation. In the course of their walk they came across an old man who was trying to play a violin he was almost too feeble to manage. The generous young fellows went down in their pockets, but the whole trio could only raise a few cents and a piece of rosin. Thereupon one of them proposed to take the old man's violin and accompany the voices of his compan- ions. No sooner said than done. Commencing with a solo upon the theme of the Carnival of Venice, a large concourse of listeners was soon attracted. Then came a favorite cavatina from " La Dame Blanche," sung in such a manner as to keep the audience spell-bound ; and yet again the trio from " Guillaume Tell." By this time the poor old man was galvanized into Hfe and activity by the artistic performance. He stood erect, and with his stick directed the concert with the authority of a practiced le'ader. Meanwhile contributions of silver and even gold rained into the old man's hat. To his astonished' and grateful demand to know who were his benefactors, he received from the first the name of Faith, and from the others the response of Hope and Charity. " And I," said the poor old fellow, " used to direct the opera at Strasburg. You have saved my life, for I can now go back to my native place, where I shall be able to teach what I can no longer perform." The young violinist was Adolph Hermann, the tenor was Gustav Roger, and the originator of this charitable scheme was Charles Gounod. BEETHOVEN S FORGETFULNESS. 29 1 292.— BEETHOVEN'S FORGETFULNESS. Numerous stories are told of Beethoven offending those with whom he came into contact by his gruffness ; but their number is almost equaled by the records of his seeking pardon from the people he had unintention- ally offended. While he was forgetful in most matters of a non-musical nature, it was rarely that he was led into such a blunder as is here related. When he brought out his Fantasia for the first time with an orchestra and chorus, he directed, at the usual hasty rehearsal, that the second variation should be played through without repeat. In the evening, how- ever, completely absorbed in his own creation, he forgot the order he had given, and repeated the first part, while the orchestra accompanied the last, a combination not productive of the best effect. At last, when it was too late, the composer suddenly stopped, looked up in amazement at his bewildered band, and said dryly, " Over again ; " the leader unwil- lingly asked, " With the repeat ? " " Yes," was echoed back, and this time things reached a happy conclusion. That Beethoven had, to a certain degree, affronted these excellent musicians by his irregular proceeding, he would not at first allow ; he contended that it was a duty to repair any previous error, and the public had a right to expect a perfect performance for their money. Nevertheless, he readily begged pardon of his orchestra for the unintentional offence, and was generous enough himself to spread the story abroad, and to lay the blame upon his own abstraction. 293.-ROSSINrS ARROGANCE. Royal patrons have often been overbearing, but, on the other hand, the patronized musician has frequently proved himself an insufferable bore. 292 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. The ■ following incident would probably not have occurred had not music already broken away from royal patronage and become, as we might say, self-supporting. Rossini was once the principal musical figure at a party given by King George IV, at St. James Palace, London. During the evening the king paid particular attention to the Italian composer, and was much pleased with his compositions. As the company was about to break up His Majesty said : " Now, Rossini, before we stop, let us have one piece more, and that shall be the finale!' But Rossini, insensible to the honors that had been bestowed upon him, arrogantly replied, " I think. Sire, we have had enough music for one night," and took his departure. 294.— TO A PAUPER'S GRAVE. Poor Mozart ! In life pushed from pillar to post ; in sickness working to the last moment to bring bread to his family ; in death occupying an unknown grave ! After Mozart's death, that night of December 4, 1791, the little house on Roughstone Lane, in Vienna, was almost deserted. Only two or three callers came. The men who made money by the dead master's genius stayed away. The widow was left almost destitute, as Mozart's fortune amounted to twenty-five dollars in money and his effects were valued at about one hun- dred and thirty dollars more. A heavy draft on this was made by the undertaker's and doctor's bills, which amounted to perhaps a hundred dollars. The cold rain and sleet pounded down, that gloomy day when the little group left the house. After the ser- vices at the church the mourners dropped ofiF, and when the hearse reached the cemetery no one followed the remains of the composer of "Don Juan" and the "Jupiter" symphony. Two paupers had been buried that day ; and, as it was HANDEL BUONONCINI. 293 late, Mozart's coffin was hastily thrust into the pauper's grave — being the last for the day it was uppermost, — the earth was hastily thrown in, and the great composer lay at rest in a pauper's grave. But a stranger thing happened. After some years the grave was opened to receive more bodies of the unfor- tunate poor. The grave-digger remembered which was Mozart's grave and, having been an admirer of Mozart's music, he preserved the great composer's skull. This man sold it to a certain official, who in after years bequeathed it to his brother, and it was he who made known to the world the fact of this gruesome possession. Be this as it may, Germany can by no admiration for Mx)zart's works at this day atone for her neglect of their author at the time of his need and distress. It will always be a blot on the good name of Vienna and the Fatherland. NOTABLE MUSICAL ANTAGONISMS. 295.-HANDEL-BUONONCINI. Musical history furnishes some notable instances of contest for public favor. Such rivalries have not been confined to the petted favorites of the footlights, the operatic stars; we find the strongest antagonisms be- tween some of the prominent composers, or rather, their followers ; the principals did not, as a general thing, share in the anger and denunciations of their partisans. The first notable rivalry in the history of modern music was that between Handel and Buononcini, in 1720. The latter was an Italian composer, who had been in- vited to England to give prestige to the Royal Academy of Music, of which Handel was at the head. Handel was patronized by King George I, and for this reason 294 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. his rival was taken up and supported by the titled houses of England ; for the German Elector who had inherited the British throne did not meet a warm recep- tion at the hands of the English aristocracy. Though the nobility favored Buononcini, the people favored him who gave them the best music, and in spite of the titled opposition, Handel was for some time in the ascendancy. Finally it was arranged that these two composers, together with a third, Ariosti, should conjointly compose an opera, and from it the public was to decide which was the greater composer. As it happened Handel had met both of his opponents before, when he was a mere boy. At that time, Buononcini, fearing a dangerous rival in the talented youth, had treated him with supercilious contempt; but Ariosti had warmly recognized his genius and had extended to him the courtesies that one artist should award another. In this competition each wrote one act and an overture. Handel was on all sides proclaimed the victor. But he had, by his independence, made so many enemies among the aristocracy and even among his- own adherents, that, some years later, popular tide had turned against him so completely as to drive him into bankruptcy. Many were the squibs and lampoons that were issued during this rivalry. One of the epigrammatic verses ran as follows : — " Some say, compared to Buononcini, That Mynheer Handel's but a Ninny ; Others aver that he to Handel Is scarcely fit to hold a Candle ; Strange all this Difference should be ' Twixt Tweedle-dum and Tweedle-dee ! " 296.— GLUCK-PICCINNI. Another contest in which the competitors were more evenly matched, was that which took place in Paris, about 1780, between Gluck and Piccinni (or Piccini). Gluck had as his patroness no less a personage than Marie Antoinette, who had been his pupil in Vienna. CUZZONI BORDONI. 295 He was introduced into Paris under the best auspices and received a warm welcome ; but the very excellen- cies of his operas, his dramatic truth and rugged har- monies, grated harshly on ears used to the pleasant and flowing French and Italian tunes; and soon Piccinni, an able ItaHan composer, was imported and pitted against the progressive Gluck. Then the battle waxed hot; and every person of any consequence took sides either with Gluck or Piccinni. The operas of each were greeted with much success and it was not until the sub- ject, "Iphigenie en Tauride," was given to them, to which each wrote an opera, that the conflict was decided in Gluck's favor. The Italian was conservative and dealt more with graces and ornaments than with dramatic proprieties ; the German was progressive, was the Wag- ner of his day ; in fact, it was on his reforms that many of Wagner's innovations are based. Meanwhile, all Paris was in a ferment over the rival schools of composition ; pamphlets and lampoons by the score were published. One was met on all sides with the question. "Are you a Gluckist or a Piccinnist?" Society was divided and friends estranged over the all important question, until it was finally decided by the triumph of progress over conservatism. This was un- doubtedly the foremost rivalry in musical history, when we consider, not only the intensity of the partisanship displayed, but also its far reaching results in the field of operatic composition. 297. -CUZZONI-BORDONI. The animosities of the public's vocal favorites have been more numerous than those of the composers. And while not of so serious a nature as these latter, they are certainly ornamented with a wealth of striking detail. Handel's time of life was fraught with musical dispute, one of the most prominent battles being fought between Francesca Cuzzoni and Faustina Bordini, afterward wife 296 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. of the composer, Hasse. Both of these singers were brought to England by Handel, Cuzzoni being first on the ground. Although she was lacking in beauty of face and form, and was of a capricious and obstinate temper, she was flattered and petted until she developed a remarkable amount of conceit and insolence. When Handel brought over Faustina, Cuzzoni found in her a dangerous rival ; for this latter importation was fair of figure and face, intelligent and amiable. Cuzzoni excelled in the expressiveness of her singing and Faus- tina in skill and agility. As might have been expected, Cuzzoni's fiery temper and envious jealousy would not allow her to keep the peace with her rival, and soon there was open warfare. The attendants on the theater sided with one or the other of the ladies, and quickly those in high places began to take part. The Countess of Pembroke headed the faction of Cuzzoni and the Countess of Burlington, that of Faustina. The fair songstresses even came to blows on several occasions ; while their followers wrote epigrams, libels, and fought duels to their hearts' con- tent. A contemporary of Handel's wrote, " These costly canary birds contaminate the whole body of our music- loving public with their virulent bickerings. Ladies re- fuse to receive visits from friends who belong to the opposite musical party. Caesar and Pompey did not excite the Romans to more violent partisanship than these contentious women." The culmination of the affair was at a concert where both cantatrices took part. Their followers kept up an uproar of shouts, cat-calls, shrieking and stamping, fair ladies taking part in the melee with the sterner sex. A performance was almost impossible. Soon after this, the directors of the opera house permitted Cuzzoni to break her engagement, and she quickly left London and the field to her rival. SONTAG MALIBRAN. 297 298.— SONTAG— MALIBRAN. Another rivalry between vocalists of note was that which for some years existed between the prima donnas, Sontag and Malibran. It was hard to determine which of these ladies was the greater artist, so equally were they matched. Sontag possessed thei greater power of vocalization, but Malibran gave to her singing a passion- ate warmth that touched the hearts of her auditors more than the perfect execution of her rival. Although the antagonism between them was personal as well as artistic, they did not descend to the vulgar displays of temper and envy that characterized the Bordoni-Cuzzoni feud. It seemed that Sontag had fallen in love with and be- come engaged to, a scion of French royalty, a Count Rossi ; but in spite of this, her hand was sought by De Beriot, the great violinist. It is needless to say that he was rejected. At this turn of affairs, De Beriot became much depressed and sought solace at the side of Mali- bran, who was a captivating brunette. Her quick sympathy caused a recovery from the Sontag rejection, and his affections naturally became centered on this con- soling angel to such an extent that Madam Malibran afterwards became Madam De Beriot. The rivalry that took place between Sontag and Mali- bran at the time we mention, was thought to have much of its origin in the fact that the Spanish brunette never forgave the fair German for having been the first loved of the French violinist. This quarrel was amicably settled, however, when, in 1828, they met in London and appeared in public together in several operas that required prime donne of great power and scope of voice. They then declared great admiration for each other's abilities and professed mutual friendship. 298 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. 299.— LISZT— THALBERG. Leaving the rivalries of vocalists with a number of incidents entirely out of proportion to the frequency of such animosities, we will cite one case in the ranks of the instrumentalists which was remarkable not only for the intensity of the partisanship it inspired, but for the artis- tic interests and principles it involved. We refer to the contest that took place in Paris, in 1836, between the pianists, Thalberg and Liszt. Prior to this time, Liszt had been undisputed master of the pianistic world. We have not the space to dilate on his wonderful career further than to say that it reads like a romance of the imagination. He had seen all Europe at his feet and had retired to Geneva for rest and study, when there came the word that a new star had appeared in the firmament, and wonderful tales were told of this mighty rival. And truly, Sigismond Thalberg, the son of an Austrian prince, was a rival not to be despised. He was highly talented and every advantage of education was his. Liszt recognized in him a formidable antagon- ist, and hastened back to Paris to defend his title of " King of Pianists." Quickly the mercurial Parisian public was arrayed on one side or the other. To be neither a Lisztian nor a Thalbergian was to admit that one had no standing what- ever in society. Thalberg's playing was the acme of elegance and grace. In velvety smoothness he was held to be the superior of his fiery antagonist. On the other hand Liszt was full of brilliancy and startling effect. Schumann said that Thalberg's playing " kept him in a tension of expectancy, not on account of the platitudes which were sure to come, but on account of the profound manner of their preparation. He deceives one by bril- liant hand and finger work in order to p'ass off his weak thoughts." Concerning Liszt's playing we may quote the remark LISZT — THALBERG. 299 made to him by Chopin : " I prefer not to play in public ; it unnerves me ; you, if you cannot charm the audience, can at least astonish and crush them." This contest was not only concerning the merits of the contestants as performers ; their compositions and their artistic ideals were placed before the world for judgment. Thalberg was the personification of elegance and of the aristocratic — the conservative element. \J\s.zt, per contra was imbued with high ideals of the mission of musical art, and was inspired with an enthusiasm for that which he considered true art and a hatred for the shallow inanities as poured forth by the school of which Thal- berg and Herz were the chief exponents. How over- whelming was the triumph of Liszt, his great popularity in the succeeding years of his life can best answer. But through all of this artistic warfare the contestants were above malice and remained personal friends. In the matter of personality, the advantage, so far as popularity was concerned, was with Liszt : for he was a man of much personal magnetism and his autocratic manner and his very eccentricities had a captivating effect on the pubUc mind. But, while this was true, Thalberg was really the more dignified of the two artists. His manner was quiet and reserved, and he disdained the restless movements which characterized Liszt when at the keyboard. Nor did he lend himself to sensational occurrences in order to attract attention to his abilities as a virtuoso. With two such strongly marked individualities in opposition, and with the lusty partisanship of their respective admirers, we may well realize the intensity of this notable controversy. Indeed, no more interesting contest, or, in the direction of piano composition and performance, more important one, can be found in the record of musical events. Its effects in these respects were far reaching; but of greater consequence was' its results on the development of higher artistic ideals in the musicians of that day. 300 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. 300.— THE FINANCIAL CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE GREAT COMPOSERS. The recent deaths of Gounod, Tschaikowski, von Bulow and Rubinstein call to mind the great difference, in the surroundings and circumstances, between the com- posers of the classical period and our own times. Bach, the greatest disciple of the contrapuntal school, died in Leipzig in 1750. He had been the recipient of a small salary as church music director. During his lifetime, appreciation for his works was limited to a sec- tion of his own country, and there it was only moderate in degree. When his widow died, ten years later, she was given a pauper's burial ; yet Bach was the fountain head of all our modern music. Handel, born the same year as Bach (1685), outlived him nine years. The most of his life was spent in England, where he was, during the latter portion, the principal musical figure. Though his operas were finan- cial failures, his oratorios, beginning with the " Messiah " (1742), brought him renewed popularity, position and income. His lot was far more easy than that of his contemporary. Bach, though his disposition was not nearly so exemplary. Haydn was, in common with many other musicians of his day, a sort of upper servant. His family rela- tions were highly unpleasant, and his position was de- pendent on the whim of his patron prince. He was of a religious and servile nature, the latter being due largely perhaps to the custom of the times, which gave a musi- cian, however great he might be, but little more respect than a valet or head cook. He died in 1809, with the applause caused by his oratorio of the " Creation " still in his ears. His income would to-day be deemed small by*a player in a. theater orchestra, and his estate was very moderate in size, and most of that was the pro- ceeds of his English journeys. GENIUS NOT REMUNERATIVE. 3OI Mozart, that gifted prodigy, that jovial good fellow, that hard-working composer, was worn out by his work and his privations when but thirty-five years old. He died in 1791. Though the greatest composer of his time, he suffered for proper financial support, and at times for sufficient nourishment. He was the victim of many conspiracies on the part of less talented musicians. He wrote his immortal operas ; others profited by them. He worked ; they laughed. His life was a labor to keep soul and body together and at his death he left his family without inheritance. So little was he missed that his last resting place was quickly lost sight of. Beethoven, that rugged and self contained spirit, died in 1827. His father was a drunkard. His early home life was not the most pleasant, and even in later years he never knew the joys of a quiet home. He lived by himself and put forth the mighty children of his brain in solitude. Handel, Beethoven and Schubert form a trio of bachelor composers. Beethoven's financial cir- cumstances were moderate, and he considered himself a poor man, though he was better situated than Mozart or Schubert in that respect. Schubert, one of the most musical geniuses that ever lived, died in 1828, at the age of thirty-one. He was a school teacher, with hardly enough income to keep soul and body together. He was so poor that he sold the manuscripts of his songs for twenty cents apiece, and so unknown that he saw comparatively few of his great compositions published. Dying almost alone, in great poverty, — yet before his death, sitting up and composing merry strains to bring in a mere pittance, — his life and its end were particularly pathetic. Schumann's disposition was of that intense nature that borders on insanity ; and insanity was the end of his busy life. He died in 1856, honored and beloved. His wife still lives, now (1894) seventy-five years of age, — a connecting link to the times of Beethoven, Schu- bert and Mendelssohn. 302 ANECDOTES OF GREAT MUSICIANS. Chopin died in 1849, after an illness of almost ten years. He was highly honored and greatly beloved for his sweet nature. He was of a retiring disposition and seldom appeared in public. Yet the public appreciated his work even during his lifetime. Mendelssohn had an ideal career. Surrounded by wealth, position, education, his circumstances were all that could be asked. Honored by musicians and wor- shiped by the people, his life is the greatest possible contrast to that of Schubert or Mozart. He died in 1 847, aged thirty-nine. Meyerbeer also was a child of favorable circumstan- ces. Though ranking lower than that of Mendelssohn, his music obtained much popular applause, and at his death, in 1864, his funeral was such as might have been given a monarch. The life of Richard Wagner might be divided into three epochs : the first of poverty ; the second, of mu- sical controversy and political strife ; the third of rewarded success and applauded pre-eminence in the musical world. At one time he lived in a garret in Paris and did musical hack-work to keep soul and body together ; at another he lived in palaces, the pet of a monarch and one of the most successful composers of musical history. The latter part of his career, which ended in 1883 was passed amid lavish and princely sur- roundings. Franz Liszt, although not attaining the great pre- eminence as a composer that fell to the lot of those we have mentioned, was one of the most prominent musical figures of our century. His life reads like a dream. It is a continual ascendancy, reaching to the greatest heights of virtuosity and popularity. He died in 1886. Gounod, when twenty years of age (1838) carried off the Conservatoire prize which gave him some years in Italy, for music study. On return to France, his works did not achieve immediate popularity, and even his now popular opera, " Faust," was sneered at. But becoming GENIUS NOT REMUNERATIVE. 303 better understood and appreciated, he poured forth work after work which were eagerly seized by the musical public. His oratorios, " The Redemption," and " Mors et Vita " are among the best specimens of modern com- position in this extended form. Applauded, flattered, appreciated, and lacking nothing in a financial way, Gounod's latter years may be compared in some slight degree with those of Wagner. We might go on and mention the names of lesser lights. The circumstances of some of them would tend to show that even this century does not always repay genius with honor and riches. Still, the contrast be- tween the last half century and the time that preceded it is certainly in our favor. Perhaps the twentieth cen- tury will repay all its debts to genius. But, be that as it may, the greatest success genius achieves is in the conscious fulfilment of its high mis- sion and not in the accumulation of riches. The posses- sion of genius is the rarest fortune, and " Whoever for- tune gives a touch, everywhere succeeds." Side by side with Liszt, in the estimation of the public, stood Anton Rubinstein, and after his death, Rubinstein was the foremost figure in the pianistic world. Great as a composer, but greater as an interpreter of the works of others, Rubinstein was almost the last of the musical giants of the nineteenth century. He died in 1894, just as he was finishing his sixty-iifth year. His concert tours had brought immense sums into his coffers; but upon his discontinuance of concert giving, save for char- itable purposes, his income had largely diminished, and his fortune was further decreased by the lavish expendi- tures at his Peterhof Villa and by his general carelessness in financial matters. INDEX TO NAMES. Reference is given to the number of the article in which the name is found. Heavy-face type indicates especial prominence of person named in article referred to. A. Abell, 68 Adrian, i Albert, Prince, 290 Alexander, Emperor, Alboni, 49. 60, 222 Amati, 174, 277 Anne, Queen, 87 Ansari, 54 Arditi, 72, 223 Arne, 178 Arnold, 99 Arnoldson, 182 Arnould, 52 Ariosti, 295 Auber, 241, 282 Bach, J. S., 2, 48, 64, 145, 183, 207, 221, 266, 273, 285, 300 Bach, Em., 241 Balfe, 6,41, 147 Bannister, 105 Barnum, 149, 270 Barth, 193 Battishill, 99 Beethoven, 16,21,34, 64, 71, 80, 90, 99, 135, 140, 148, 150, 20 92 127,-143, 241, 251, 42.48, 53. "7. 134, 154. 1641 271, 282, 173. 183, 185, 189, 193, 202, 205, 210, 218, 219, 221, 225, 237, 241, 250, 254, 262. 272, 273, 275, 279, 281, 285, 287, 289, 292, 300 Bellini, 241, 258, 282 Benedict, 223 Benevento, 252 Beriot, 224, 241, 298 Berlioz, 4, 7, 82. 152, 195, 241 Bettini, 11 Billington, 33, 132 Bishop, 29 Bismarck, 148 Bizet, 233, 241 Blow, 62 Bohm, 70 Bordoni, 297, 298 Boucher, 92 Brahms, 144, 241 Breitkopf and Hartel, 162 Breuning, 150, 281 Bridgetower, 289 Brignoli, 208 Britton, 105 Bull, 14, 17, 116, 165 Buononcini, 295 BUlow, 30, 73, 85, 128, 144, 148, 156, 184, 195, 212, 228, 239, 284, 300 Byrd, 3 30s 3o6 INDEX TO NAMES. C. Caffarelli, 114 Campanini, 58, 120, 23s Camporese, 43 Carestini, 23 Catalini, 28, iii, 131 Catherine, Empress, 50 Cervetto, 277 Chappell & Co., 176 Charlemagne, i Charles II, 68 Charles IV, 92 Charles V, 290 Charles VI, 206, 290 Cherubini, 4, 138, 232, 241, 258, 274, 278 Chopin, 64, 125, 158, 241, 299, 300 Chorley, 234 Cimarosa, 16, 109, 197 Clementi, loi, 241 Coccia, 179, 282 Cooke, 170 Corelli, 63, 183, 220, 238, 241 Costa, 267 Cowen, 267 Cramer, 142, 241 Crotch, 9,183 Cuzzoni, 23, 105, 297, 298 Czerny, 103, 158, 190, 205, 241 D. Damrosch, 267 D'Artois, 238 David, 267, 277 Devrient, Mme., 55, 139, 188 Devrient, Edw., 2 Diabelli, 158, 189 Donizetti, 153, 258, 282 Dragonetti, 277 Ducr^, 82 Dufay, 241 Dumas, 137 Duport, 281 Dussek, 252 E. Edinburgh, Duke of, 290 Elizabeth, Queen, 25, 290 Erba, 183 Ernst, 267, 277 Esterhazy, 103, 134, 181, 266 Fancelli, 58 Farinelli, 33, 83, 290 Field, loi, 115, 136 Fischer, 200 Feininger, 96 Ferdinand VI, 83 Fetis, 241 Flotow, 217 Fodor, 36, 224 Frederick, 78 Frederick the Great, 224, 290 G. Gabriella, 45, 118, 131 Gade, 241 Garcia, 69, 81, 98 George I, 87, 201, 295 George III, 59 George IV, 293 Gerster, 13, 240 Giardini, 104 Gillott, 174 Giuglini, 227 Gluck, 16, 51, 77, 221, 241, 258, 266, 296 Goethe, 28 Goldmark, 267 Goldschmidt, 149, 270 Gounod, 176, 241, 258, 282, 291, 300 Graun, 183 Gregory, i Gr6try, 109, 167, 258 Grisi, 106 Guarnerius, 122, 174, 245, 277 INDEX TO NAMES. 307 H. Haizinger, 188, 196 Halevy, 267, 278, 282 Handel, 17, 20, 23, 32, 74, 87, 105, iig, 134, 141, 151, 155, 161, 164, 166, 175, 179, 183, 195, 201, 213, 219, 241, 252, 258, 266, 276, 282, 295, 300 Harris, Claudius, 149 Harris, Renatus, 62 Hasse, 297 Hauk, 265 Haydn, 16, 94, 97, 107, 132, 134, 135, 146, 150, 181, 185, 194, 199, 209, 221, 232, 24f, 259, 266, 282, 285, 286, 288, 300 Henry VIII, 290 Hermann, 291 Herz, 130, 158 Hiller, 267 Hubey, 277 Hucbald, 241 Hummel, 103, 115, 130, 158, 183, 241 Hulsen, 30 Jadassohn, 267 Jennens, 105 Joachim, 241, 267 Joseph I, loi Joseph II, 146 Josquin, 22, 56, 183 K. Kalkbrenner, 125, 158 Keiser, 282 Kelly, 65, 192, 238 Kiel, 230 Kreutzer, 1 58, 289 Kuhnau, 283 Kuhlau, 230 Kurtz, 199 Lablache, 33,75, 88, 95, 135,222 Lachner, 241 Larivee, 253 Lassus, 241 Laulaire, 204 Lea, 249 Leoncavallo, 26, 67 Leopold I, 290 L'Estrange, 105 Lichnowsky, 281 Lind, 5, 75, 113, 121, 130, 149, 160, 224, 270 Lindley, 18 Liszt, 34, 56, 64, 84, 103, 121, 123, 128, 130, 145, 148, 158, 165, 169, 190, 205, 241, 242, 230, 269, 276, 299, 300 Lolli, 104 Louis XII, 22 Louis Philippe, 269 Lowe, 202 Lucca, 55 Ludwig, Duke, 78 Lully, 44, 62, 161, 236, 256, 258, 279 M. Malibran, 8, 41, 55, 81, 98, 163, 215, 224, 298 Mara, 55, 124, 247 Mary, Queen of Scots, 290 Mascagni, 26, 109, 263 Mapleson, 11, 60, 108, 176 Marcellus, 19 Marie Antoinette, 238, 296 Marino, Countess of, 229 Mario, 135 Massenet, 258, 259 Matheson, 151,241, 283 Maupin, 229, 257 Mehul, 4, 16,51 Melba, 8 Melville, 277 Mendelssohn, 2, 35, 53, 64, 76 90, 123, 143.145. 153. 165. 179, 3o8 INDEX TO NAMES. 183, 185, 187, 223, 234, 241, 251, 267, 285, 290, 300 Mercadante, 282 Meyerbeer, 35, 150, 180, 223, 241, 258, 264, 267, 282, 300 Morell, 166 Mori, 142 Moscheles, 53, 96, 125, 225, 237, 241, 267 Moszkowski, 230 Mozart, 9, 10, 16, 40, 42, 64, 65, 97, 99. 103, 109, 121, 134, 145, 146, 150, 161, 172, 179, 183, 185, 192, 221, 228, 241, 258, 260, 268, 276, 282, 294, 300 Murska, 93, 260 N. Nardini, 104 Napoleon, 92, in, 126, 148,287 Nero, 290 Neruda, 277 Nevada, 100 Nicolai, 241 Nicolini, 100 Niedermeyer, 217 Nikisch, 228 Nilsson, 8, 60, 108 Normandy, Lady, 106 O. Ockenheim, 241 Offenbach, 267 Ottoboni, 220, 238 Pacchierotti, 39 Pachmann, 12 Pacini, 282 Paderewski, 169, 208 Paesiello, 16, 50 Paine, 285 Paganini, 7, 14, 27, 79, 86, los, 122, 130, 142, 152, 157, 174, 186, 211, 226, 241, 249, 261, Palestrina, 19, 241 Palffy, 196 Paratt, 276 Pasta, 224 Patti, 31, 72, 100, 102, 177, 240 Paur, 228 Pepusch, 105 Pepys, 38 Pergolesi, 241 Persian], 8 Philip V, 83 Piccinni, 77, 282, 296 Pixis, 158, 205 Pleyel, 241 Porpora, 46, 114, 259 Praeger, 255 Prout, 183 Purcell, 62, 241 R. Raff, 241 Raimondi, 61 Rameau, 42, 241, 258 Reynolds, 132 Rhehazek, 165 Ricci, 282 Richter, 228 Ries, 150, 173, 218, 254, 287 Rinaldo, 48 Royer, 291 Romberg, 150 Ronconi, 66 Rosengrave, 15 Rossi, 224, 298 Rossini, 16, 29, 70, 102, 121, 133, 180, 185, 221, 236, 241, 252, 258, 279, 282, 293 Roz6, 265 Rothschild, 7, 244 Rubini, 135 Rubinstein, 228, 231, 241, 267, 300 INDEX TO NAMES. 309 s. Sacchini, 16 Salieri, 196 Salomon, 59 Santley, 93 Sapellnikow, 280 Scarlatti, 15, 155, 241, 258, 282 Schascheck, 64 Schindler, 281 Schubert, 48, 57, 64, 80, 112, 158, 161, 162, 185, 195, 221, 241, 272, 300 Schmidt, 62 Schumann, 48, 159, 195, 216, 241, 246, 284, 299, 300 Seidl, 228 Shah of Persia, 108 Sheridan, 192 Sivori, 122, 211 Smart, 99 Snetzler, 214 Solon, 89 Sontag, SS.91. 224. 298 Spohr, loi, 126, 221, 241,244 Spontini, 109 Stainer, 206, 277 Steininger, 91 Storace, 168 Stradella, 183, 217 Stradivarius, 79, 174, 245, 277 Strunck, 63 St. SaSns, 241 Sullivan, 96 Swift, 273 Tallis, 61 Talma, 126 Tamburini, 135, 243 Tarisio, 277 Tartini, 47, 195, 241 Taylor, 113 Thalberg, 130, 158, 215, 299 Thomas, Ambroise, 241, 258 Thomas, Theodore, 228 Thumb, 95 Tjtiens, 11, 55,93, 108, 227 Tschaikowsky, 280, 300 Tye, 25, 198 U. Uria, 183 Verdi, 109, 133, 191, 241, 258, 263, 282 Victoria, 106, 250, 276, 290 Vidocq, 14 Vinci, 26 Viotti, 129, 238 Vivaldi, 37 W. Wagner, 16, 82, 84, 109, 137, 146, 185, 203, 221, 228, 241, 248, 255, 258, 263, 266, 282, 285, 300 Waldstein, 150 Wales, Prince and Princess of, 219 Wales, Princess of, 290 Wallace, no Weber, 78, 171, 195, 221, 241, 258 Weingartner, 228 Wesley, Samuel, 99 Wesley, Charles, 99 Whitney, 84 Wieniawski, 267, 277 Wilhelmji, 277 William I, 250, 290, William II, 290 Wuerst, 230 Z. Zajic, 277 Zeffrini, 249 Zelter, 2, 195, 241 Zingarelli, 16, 241 >X^\x